FBI freezes Neteller US customer's funds

TylerD · #1 02-06-2007, 04:57 AM

Guardian Article.

Sorry guys. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

sweetjazz · #2 02-06-2007, 05:59 AM

Ugh, sounds like there is a good chance the money will be returned...eventually. I think for people with money in Neteller, it's important to start contacting people in the government making it clear we want our money back. We need to work on getting this on the news and making our extreme dissatisfaction known.

The average person does not care much about whether we can gamble online or not, but they probably will be interested -- and none too pleased -- that the government is seizing the funds of ordinary Americans.

grapes · #3 02-06-2007, 07:29 AM

Uggh, thank you Tyler, for cross-posting this misinformation in multiple forums, adding to the hysteria. My response in Internet Gambling:

This is nonsense. There is no news here, although that won't stop this thread from turning into hundreds of hysterical rants.

The article cites "one US newspaper report" quoting FBI agent Neil Donovan. That's the tired USA Today story that's been quoted over and over out of context. From what I've gathered, what the original USA Today story failed to mention (or maybe DID mention but misleadlingly worded) was that the frozen Neteller funds are for certain customer accounts involved in the Betonsports debacle ONLY - funds that were frozen LAST SUMMER. They have NOT frozen the funds of US customers in general. I don't believe that would be a legal option, or that it would be in the government's interest if it were an option, and if they had done so it would have been widely reported by now.

The USA Today article did a poor job with the facts. The Guardian article cites that erroneous article as its only source, and otherwise rambles vaguely for a few paragraphs with absolutely no new information. This is one of the worst pieces of journalism I've seen in a while, which is saying something considering how bad most of the writing about poker and gambling is.

TylerD · #4 02-06-2007, 07:43 AM

My bad. I'm very surprised that the Guardian would write an erroneous article such as this, they're a well respected newspaper in the UK, I just assumed it was accurate.

Webster · #5 02-06-2007, 08:18 AM

[ QUOTE ]
The USA Today article did a poor job with the facts

[/ QUOTE ]

WHAT? I can not longer listen to this LALALALALALALALALALA.

As one famouse and well respected reporter says

"I don't rely on what my brain tells me. I rely on what I feel is true. Our nation relies too much on factiness and not enough on truthiness"

SplawnDarts · #6 02-06-2007, 02:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Ugh, sounds like there is a good chance the money will be returned...eventually.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not likely - there's an plausible RICO case to permenantly sieze those funds. If it ever looks like they will get loose, I'm quite sure such action will be brought. But they'll be tied up as evidence in any case while this sorts itself out, and that will take years.

So you have a slim hope of seeing something in say 2012. Very slim.

Skallagrim · #7 02-06-2007, 02:34 PM

Enjoy spreading doom and gloom rumors splawndarts? Or do you just enjoy watching the panic of those who listen to you?
Seizing players funds held in trust in a UK bank is extremely unlikely, for one, the UK would have to allow it. For another, the case would have show evidence that the funds were illegal proceeds in violation of a federal law - players do not violate the federal law (some state's laws, yes, but no federal ones). There is plenty to worry about without spreading more scary, baseless rumors. I would challenge you to explain the plausible RICCO case against PLAYERS, but I know you cant and wont.

Dennisa · #8 02-06-2007, 03:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Enjoy spreading doom and gloom rumors splawndarts? Or do you just enjoy watching the panic of those who listen to you?
Seizing players funds held in trust in a UK bank is extremely unlikely, for one, the UK would have to allow it. For another, the case would have show evidence that the funds were illegal proceeds in violation of a federal law - players do not violate the federal law (some state's laws, yes, but no federal ones). There is plenty to worry about without spreading more scary, baseless rumors. I would challenge you to explain the plausible RICCO case against PLAYERS, but I know you cant and wont.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am not a lawyer, but the original Neteller indictment is aiding and abeding placeing sports bets in violation of the Sports wire act. So provided a neteller account has only been used with a poker only site, then it should not be in violation of Rico, but if a player has been on combo sites like Bodog then they may possibly have a case.

I predict we will get all of our money back around March 2009, when a new administration comes in power.

Yakuman · #9 02-06-2007, 06:26 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I predict we will get all of our money back around March 2009, when a new administration comes in power.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fat chance. The WSEX case came on Janet Reno's watch.

MiltonFriedman · #10 02-06-2007, 06:46 PM

This poster has it 100% right ... This is a non-story.

There is NO case pending against Neteller:

"From what I've gathered, what the original USA Today story failed to mention (or maybe DID mention but misleadlingly worded) was that the frozen Neteller funds are for certain customer accounts involved in the Betonsports debacle ONLY - funds that were frozen LAST SUMMER. They have NOT frozen the funds of US customers in general."