They should have used bitcoin, they should have used bitcoin...
http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/15/news/economy/online_poker_indictments/index.htm?hpt=T2By Ben Rooney, staff reporterApril 15, 2011: 3:25 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The founders of the three largest Internet poker companies have been indicted for bank fraud and money laundering, federal law enforcement officials said Friday.
The United States Attorney in New York unsealed the indictment against eleven people, including the founders of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, and Absolute Poker.
In addition, federal authorities filed civil charges against the poker companies and several payment processors for alleged money laundering.
Some of the defendants were arrested Friday, including individuals who worked on behalf of the poker companies to obtain U.S. bank accounts.
Prosecutors said they were working with foreign law enforcement agencies and Interpol to secure the arrest of other defendants who are not in the United States.
Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, said the defendants tricked some banks and bribed others "to assure the continued flow of billions in illegal gambling profits."
"Moreover, as we allege, in their zeal to circumvent the gambling laws, the defendants also engaged in massive money laundering and bank fraud," Bharara said in a statement.
Prosecutors are seeking at least $3 billion in civil penalties and forfeiture from the poker companies and the defendants.
"These defendants, knowing full well that their business with U.S. customers and U.S. banks was illegal, tried to stack the deck," said Janice Fedarcyk, FBI assistant director-in-charge. "They lied to banks about the true nature of their business. Then, some of the defendants found banks willing to flout the law for a fee."
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