DOJ Releases Some of PokerStars Monies

The US Department of Justice this past week released an unspecified amount of money from a bank account belonging to PokerStars seized on April 15 as part of a massive probe into bank fraud and money laundering. 

The bank account in question

The DOJ agreed to release all funds in a particular Luxembourgish account except for $5.5 million, according to SubjectPoker.com.   Details of the arrangement were not immediately available. 

The specific bank in question is named as Bank Hapoalim Luxemburg in the name of Sphene International.  A number of the accounts listed in the lengthy indictment were held at this particular bank. 

PokerStars was one of three online poker rooms named in the indictment.  Full Tilt Poker and UB.com/Absolute Poker were also specified.  PokerStars is the only company of the three that has paid back all of its customers.  All three were forced to exit the US market.

- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher