New U.S. Task Force to
Tackle Online Gambling
 September
21 - According to recent reports out of the United States,
the Baltimore U.S. Attorney's Office has formed a new Assets
Forfeiture and Financial Crimes task force
that has been tasked with the responsibility of
going after online gambling operations,
amongst others, that contravene U.S. laws.
Initially announced in mid-August by Maryland U.S. Attorney,
Rod Rosenstein,
the task force is made up of members of the Baltimore U.S.
Attorney's Office, the New York U.S. Attorney's Office, the U.S.
Customs Office and the Louisiana State Police.
It has been designed to 'follow the money trails'.
The new task force
will investigate credit card companies and eCheck processors
that do business with online gambling operations.
The passing of the
Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
by Congress in October 2006 made it
illegal
for U.S. banks and credit card companies
to process any online gambling-related payments.
Said Rosenstein, 'Seizing and forfeiting ill-gotten gains will
enable us to take the profit out of crime and use the proceeds
to compensate victims.'
The new
task force will work with federal authorities, state and local
officials
on cases in which federal forfeiture and money laundering
statutes can
help punish and deter crime.
'Federal laws
allow us to pursue forfeiture of assets for many crimes,
including mortgage fraud. Assets subject to forfeiture may
include the fruits of crime - such as homes and vehicles
purchased with criminal proceeds - as
well as the instruments of crime
- like computers, vehicles and real estate,' said Rosenstein.
|
|
|
