Almost nine years after being charged with illegal gambling, money laundering and bank fraud, the founder of online poker giant PokerStars, Isai Scheinberg has surrendered to federal agents. Landing in New York on January 17th, Scheinberg was taken into custody and pled not guilty to the charges he faces stemming from Black Friday, an infamous date in US poker history. Scheinberg was released on $1 million bail.
Black Friday:
The charges against Scheinberg go back to April 2011, also known as Black Friday, when the United States government seized domain names as well as money associated with the top online poker providers at the time. This included PokerStars as well as their competitor Full Tilt Poker.
Full Tilt was unable to repay their players and it was Scheinberg who worked with the United States government to cut a deal to allow PokerStars to acquire the Full Tilt brand and pay back players. While this was facilitated, Scheinberg remained outside the US and evaded capture.
According to CardPlayer…
Scheinberg traveled to Switzerland a few months ago and it was at that time that officials in the US began the extradition process, working with the Swiss government within their jurisdiction, to get Scheinberg back in the states. In the beginning, he resisted the process but eventually decided to travel to the US on a voluntary basis. This was of course, after negotiations took place.
It is unclear as to what will happen to Scheinberg. Reports suggest that he will avoid prison time based on the deal he cut, though what the deal entails has not been revealed.
PokerStars Then and Now:
PokerStars was founded in 2001 by Scheinberg and was in operation within the United States when the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act was passed in 2006. The site continued to operate after that date until 2011 when Black Friday occurred. After the 2011 charges, the son of Scheinberg, Mark took over the operations of PokerStars.
Three years later, Mark sold the company to Amaya and they then brought the company back into the US via New Jersey, offering online poker gaming to players in the state’s borders. The company now operates in Pennsylvania as well now that the iGaming industry has launched in the state.
Play games casino online games refers to participating in casino-style games through an online platform. In essence, it combines the excitement of traditional casino games, like slots, blackjack, poker, and roulette, with the convenience of playing them online.
When you play games casino online, you can enjoy:
-
Variety of Games: Many online casinos offer a huge range of games, from popular slots to live dealer games, replicating the casino experience at home or on mobile.
-
Accessibility: Online casinos allow you to play anytime and anywhere, making it easy to enjoy your favorite games without traveling to a physical location.
-
Bonuses and Promotions: Online casinos often offer promotions, welcome bonuses, and rewards, enhancing your experience and providing extra funds to play with.
-
Real Money or Free Play: Most platforms offer options to play for real money or for fun, giving players the flexibility to test games before committing financially.
Online casino games bring the thrills and potential rewards of a real casino experience to your screen, with the added security, convenience, and bonuses that online platforms provide.
