Online Poker Seizure Warrants Should be Unsealed
Following word of an indictment against one payment processor connected to the seizure of some $40 million in funds from online poker giants PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, legal counsel for Costigan Media spoke with prosecutors to determine if their position had changed on unsealing all seizure warrants and other related court documents. Costigan Media, parent company of Gambling911.com, had filed a Motion to Intervene in order to have said documents unsealed as part of its First Amendment rights.
As of Thursday evening, the US Attorneys Office out of New York was unsure of what their position might be. Counsel for Costigan Media sent a letter to the Honorable Judge Laura Taylor Swain, informing her of the changing circumstances. Judge Swain held a hearing on July 27 to determine whether the seizure warrants and other court documents would be unsealed.
"While there was some division of opinion in the courts as to whether the First Amendment right of access applies pre-indictment, it seems very clear that it does apply post-indictment," said Baruch Weiss, Attorney for Costigan Media.
Judge Swain was expected to announce her decision this week even before Thursday's developments.
Gambling911.com will report as soon as more information becomes available.
Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
