US Authorities Freeze Bank Accounts

In America, Federal authorities in the eastern state of New York have frozen or seized bank accounts belonging to some 27,000 online poker players said to be worth up to $34 million.
The operation began last week and has seen the US Attorney For The Southern District Of New York freeze or issue seizure orders for accounts in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Arizona held at Wells Fargo, Citibank, Goldwater Bank and Alliance Bank Of Arizona.
The accounts in question are managed by Allied Systems Incorporated and Account Services, which handle cash for popular online poker sites including FullTiltPoker.com, PokerStars.com, UltimateBet.com and AbsolutePoker.com. Although the money in these accounts belongs to the poker players, it is held for them by the two service companies and can be withdrawn when they cash out.
Account Services revealed that it had an account worth $15 million frozen last week in San Francisco that, as a result, will see thousands of players that received cheques from the firm unable to cash them.
The seizures are apparently a crackdown under the unpopular Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, which makes it illegal for US banks to process payments that players won competing at online poker.
“The Poker Players Alliance is disappointed that this unprecedented action has been commenced against law-abiding poker players,” said Alfonse D’Amato, a former US Senator from New York and Chairman for the Poker Players Alliance advocacy group.
“The payment processor funds frozen by the Southern District Of New York belong to individual poker players, not operators of poker websites, and do not represent the proceeds of any gambling activity much less illegal gambling activity.
“This money should be immediately released by the Southern District to ensure that player payouts are not further disrupted. To that end, the Poker Players Alliance is coordinating a legal strategy to appropriately protect Poker Players Alliance members who are impacted by the Southern District’s actions.
“Further, the Poker Players Alliance has contacted the affected poker websites and has been informed that deposit and payout issues of players are being addressed and will be fully satisfied.”

In America, Federal authorities in the eastern state of New York have frozen or seized bank accounts belonging to some 27,000 online poker players said to be worth up to $34 million.
The operation began last week and has seen the US Attorney For The Southern District Of New York freeze or issue seizure orders for accounts in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Arizona held at Wells Fargo, Citibank, Goldwater Bank and Alliance Bank Of Arizona.
The accounts in question are managed by Allied Systems Incorporated and Account Services, which handle cash for popular online poker sites including FullTiltPoker.com, PokerStars.com, UltimateBet.com and AbsolutePoker.com. Although the money in these accounts belongs to the poker players, it is held for them by the two service companies and can be withdrawn when they cash out.
Account Services revealed that it had an account worth $15 million frozen last week in San Francisco that, as a result, will see thousands of players that received cheques from the firm unable to cash them.
The seizures are apparently a crackdown under the unpopular Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006, which makes it illegal for US banks to process payments that players won competing at online poker.
“The Poker Players Alliance is disappointed that this unprecedented action has been commenced against law-abiding poker players,” said Alfonse D’Amato, a former US Senator from New York and Chairman for the Poker Players Alliance advocacy group.
“The payment processor funds frozen by the Southern District Of New York belong to individual poker players, not operators of poker websites, and do not represent the proceeds of any gambling activity much less illegal gambling activity.
“This money should be immediately released by the Southern District to ensure that player payouts are not further disrupted. To that end, the Poker Players Alliance is coordinating a legal strategy to appropriately protect Poker Players Alliance members who are impacted by the Southern District’s actions.
“Further, the Poker Players Alliance has contacted the affected poker websites and has been informed that deposit and payout issues of players are being addressed and will be fully satisfied.”