The U.S. Department of Justice recently implemented a sting operation to target illegal gambling via internet gaming services. Entangled in the operation is a Costa Rican resident who was indicted on charges of “knowingly and unlawfully conducting” illegal gambling activities through his employment with ThrillX Systems, along with his colleague. Multiple news outlets have touted the defendant as a co-owner of the gaming company but he adamantly denies ownership involvement.
Attorneys Emery Ledger and Douglas Applegate of the Law Offices of Douglas Applegate have begun mounting a defense for the Canadian call center manager who was ultimately seized as a result of an undercover payment processing ring put in place by the DOJ. This case sets precedent as it is one of the first of its kind to target a management employee in this type of sting as opposed to an owner or CEO.
The background information pertaining to this case involves the arrest of owners of large internet gambling conglomerates for money laundering, fraud and illegal banking practices. The defendants in the case include poker magnates PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker. All other defendants are owners of the internet businesses and U.S. citizens. The vast majority of defendants arrested in illegal online gambling stings are those that have major stakes in the companies and are U.S. citizens with companies incorporated in the U.S. “My client has no ties to the U.S. other than it being an occasional vacation destination. It is my hope that the [Department of Justice] affords [my client], a Canadian citizen, the same civility we expect of U.S. citizens prosecuted abroad. This case entails an extremely complex entanglement of law often in conflict amongst industrial nations. We anticipate [our client] will be acquitted of all charges,” stated attorney Emery Ledger with regards to his defense of the the gaming call center manager.
While no date has been set for the defendant’s arraignment, Ledger and Applegate look forward to the tough, yet rewarding, defense strategy to be laid out in the future. The defendant hails from British Columbia and was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Maryland last month. The indictment was filed against the defendant and ThrillX Systems, Ltd., a British Columbian corporation. Filed on April 26, the indictment was not released until weeks later.
Emery Ledger has extensive high-profile experience including defense of U.S. Marine Sergeant Jose Nazario, accused of war crimes during the battle of Fallujah. This case involved the first American ever to be tried in U.S. federal court for alleged war crimes committed while on active duty. Nazario was acquitted of all charges.
