Legal documents reveal the real reasons
Regarding the recent Everleaf Poker Network departure from the U.S. market last week, the media started digging deeper for the reasons of such a move, and made a very interesting finding – that seems to be opposite to the claims made by one network skin that there had been no enforcement action involved.
Namely, reports from government legal documents include info of a seizure action against the Liechtenstein-based payment processor Causash Establishment by a government task force staffed by Secret Service operatives in Seattle and based on the anti-online gambling state law of Washington. It appears that Causcash processed transactions from Everleaf card rooms and that that is what got it into trouble.
This info heated up the speculation that the cessation of US action and subsequent player complaints of slow-pay incidents are in relation with the seizure action.
As per the details of the investigation, it has been specified that information about the money processing was collected by federal agents who used false identities to open accounts, play and make financial transactions on three of the Everleaf network's skins - Raider Poker, Poker Royal and Everleaf Poker.
According to the report, "A U.S. bank account used by Causash rarely held funds, but almost immediately converted the foreign currency deposits to U.S. dollars and transferred the funds to other bank accounts. Between January 2010 and August 2011, Causash sent a total of 273 wire transfers to a Bank of New York account, totaling $ 734,835.00.
"A warrant was issued in October 2011, commanding Bank of N.Y. to seize wire transfers to/from Causash via the specified bank account, over a two-week period. No wires during the period in question were seized, but pursuant to a second amended warrant, an account balance of $ 27,465.93 was seized and forwarded to the U.S. Secret Service."
In addition, it was not only the processor that the agents tracked and exposed in their investigation – they reportedly also revealsed individuals and their transactions, including poker professionals, one of which received around $85,000 between August and September 2010 through Causcash.
The seizure was conducted based on charges of committing, aiding and abetting 18 U.S.Code 1960(a), Prohibition of unlicensed money transmitting businesses,18 U.S.Code 1084(a) Transmission of Wagering Information(The Wire Act), and 18 U.S.Code 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and 1956(a)(1)(B)(i) Money Laundering.
In the latest news, Everleaf has allegedly confirmed that the federal action took place without inclosing the amount involved. They apparently only stated that it was in excess of the $27 000 claimed in the court documents and that there will be no impact on player accounts because it segregates player funds from its operating capital.
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