Three largest online poker sites indicted and shut down by FBI

The Los Angeles Times ^ | 4/15/2011 | Nathaniel Popper

[NYRepublican72]

The founders of the three largest online poker sites were indicted by the FBI on Friday in what could serve as a death blow to the thriving industry.

Eleven executives at PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker were charged with bank fraud and money laundering in an indictment unsealed in a Manhattan court. Two of the executives were arrested on Friday morning in Utah and Nevada. Federal agents are searching for the others.

Prosecutors are seeking to immediately shut down the sites and to eventually send the executives to jail and to recover $3 billion from the companies. By Friday afternoon Full Tilt Poker’s site displayed a message explaining that “this domain name has been seized by the F.B.I. pursuant to an Arrest Warrant.”

[Brown Deer]

Online poker IS the mob. Jeese people get a clue.
And if said person cheats, using software, it's OK by you?

So far, I've only seen accusations by you, with absolutely nothing to back them up. These companies are handling millions of dollars in bets every hour of every day. Why would they bother cheating and lose their huge customer base? What advantage would there be for them to do that?

[thesharkboy]

The stupidity of numbnuts defending online poker amazes me.....

People who want to "protect" other people using the iron fist of government (in every aspect of our lives) amaze me.

[dfwgator]

First they came for the online poker sites....

[Hugin]

Dont forget though it was Bill Frist who snuck the internet gaming act into the port security bill in the dead of night, leaving Dubya little choice but to sgn it.

[rockvillem]

it was Bill Frist who snuck the internet gaming act into the port security bill in the dead of night

Nice point - this is probably "inside baseball" to those of us who understand online poker and/or UIGEA, but it's such a classic example of legislation that was passed without any meaningful standalone analysis. It's insane how many laws are passed this way - no wonder I'm such a huge Tea Party supporter.

And to the person upthread who thinks online poker is controlled by the Mafia - not really for the two biggest sites. The shadiness issue is raised with respect to Cereus (Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet) that are wrapped in mystery about an oddball Canadian Indian tribe and that had massive cheating scandals. Replace Kanawaha with the mob for that site . . .

[loucon]

None of the three appear to be down. Just went to each web site. Looks like business as usual to me.

[Brown Deer]

Meet The Boy Genius Who Just Took Down The Online Poker Industry

[George from New England]

My son who just cut a $20k check to uncle sam, says April 15th was not a coincidence. They waited for all the taxes that were going to be paid to be paid and now they deny those taxpayers access to the rest of their monies by freezing the account of these sites.

[ml/nj]

I love to play poker, but have never used these on-line poker games. To me, it seems like an industry that is RIPE for cheating.

It's nice that you think that they are cheating but some of us have been winning money at these sites, and having a good time doing it.

ML/NJ

[catfish1957]

You know, I play every night at these sites, just with play money. I haven't gambled a dime. But it is an very enjoyable outlet for me.

Incredible how the FEDS have to invoke their gestapo tactics on anything enjoyable, but let our borders flood with illegals. Real credibility I tell ya.

[Rebelbase]

“By Friday afternoon Full Tilt Poker’s site displayed a message explaining that “this domain name has been seized by the F.B.I. pursuant to an Arrest Warrant.””

The website is up and running:

http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/

[Brown Deer]

http://calvinayre.com/2011/04/16/legal/black-friday-online-poker-indictments-latest-updates/

[Brown Deer]

Absolute Poker:

[Brown Deer]

Larry Flynt launched new poker site today:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/04/hustler-cainso-launches-free-online-gaming-site-after-fbi-internet-poker-crackdown.html

[TBall]

The thing I loved about Poker Stars was the fact that you would be playing against people from all over the world. The first thing I would do when a game would start was to click over my opponents and find out what countries they were from. Oh well, I guess Uncle Sam now has my $23 account balance.

[skully]

That's right.. I've been playing on-line since 2003, Poker Stars since 2006, never had a problem; and it was like having a really fun part time job. Since 2003 I've made close to 40,000$$. This morning I signed in to find out I basically got “laid off” from my really fun part time job...Land of the free yeah!!!

Hell I trust the poker site more with my $$ then my own goberment

[TShaunK]

If I want to take money burn it up 100 bill at a time thats my right I earn’t.I don’t need some goverment hack telling me what good or not for me.

[DNME]

Internet poker sites, just like real casinos, wouldn’t dare risk their huge income streams just to squeeze a few extra percentage points by cheating. They can earn enough without cheating, so why risk throwing it all away?

“Freedom” means making your own choices. But the Nanny State has eliminated yet another “choice” so I guess we’re all much safer now. Hurray.

You people must be delighted.

[jsdjason]

People blaming Obama for this are clueless. I loathe Obama and all democrats, but they had very little to do with this. In fact Harry Reid and Bawney Fwank were sponsoring legalization of online poker bills late last session that got killed. The law that led to this indictment is known as the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. It was piggybacked onto a national security bill at the last minute in October 2006 by Bill Frist, and then signed by W. The DOJ has been building their case against online poker operators ever since. The hypocrisy and blind love for anything done in the Bush years is annoying.

Land of the free? LOL. It’s pretty hypocritical for conservatives to be against “economic collectivism” but be more than willing to prohibit private citizens from doing what they want with their money because “it’s bad for the family, yada yada yada, bs.” I’d say this is more like “social collectivism.” What do you care what I do with my money?

[Constitution Day]

Exactly.