Costa Rica Authorities Raid Offices of Absolute Poker and UltimateBet

Costa Rica's investigative authority, the Organizmo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ) on Friday raided the offices of Absolute Poker and UltimateBet reportedly as an indirect result of the Black Friday indictments by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Local sources report that the OIJ conducted the raids because Absolute Poker and UlitmateBet laid off their employees and have not paid them and in response to the indictments by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for money laundering and bank fraud.

The OIJ said it also looking for the founders of Absolute Poker and UltimateBet, Scott Brent and Olman Rimola but have been unable to find them.

The OIJ have launched their own investigations into the operations of Absolute Poker and Ultimate Bet in response to the Black Friday indictments and because a legal representative for UltimateBet is also a mayoral candidate for the Costa Rican city of Escazu.

Support offices for PokerStars were also raided but have since been re-opened and all indications are that PokerStars has been given the all clear by the Costa Rican authorities.

From PokerStars VIP Manager: "PokerStars continues to operate the world’s largest poker room, business as usual. It is true that the OIJ is currently at the PokerStars Costa Rican office and has sent employees home temporarily, but employees will be able to return in a few hours.

PokerStars expects the office to return to business as usual in short order as this action was most likely taken as a response to problems experienced by other local companies in the same industry."

Absolute Poker Denies Raid In Costa Rica Related To US Justice Indictments

Blanca Games, operator of online poker rooms Absolute Poker and UltimateBet, issued the following statement today: Blanca can confirm that Costa Rican officials visited the office of Innovative Data Solutions (IDS), the former customer service centre of Absolute Poker and UltimateBet, in Costa Rica.

The Organismo de Investigaciones Judiciales (OIJ) took action yesterday to further their investigation of Olman Rimola, the owner of IDS, Scott Tom, who was also recently named in the indictment list issued by the Department of Justice on April 15th, and a third lesser known party, Oldemar Vargas.

The reported OIJ 'raids' of IDS and various associated private residential addresses were in relation to their search for Rimola, Tom and Vargas, and do not involve Blanca or the operations of Absolute Poker or UB.

A company spokesperson said: "We want to correct the rumours being reported in poker circles and the wider community that yesterday's events are related to the recent Department of Justice indictments. Our understanding is that this is not the case, and that they were driven by local investigations of a separate matter in Costa Rica that involves a concerted effort to locate and apprehend Rimola, Tom and Vargas for questioning in relation to a money laundering investigation."

Blanca has terminated its supplier contract with IDS after discovering that Rimola has misappropriated millions in IDS severance payments. The company is currently exploring all legal options available to recover the lost funds.

Furthermore, Blanca is cooperating fully with the local Ministerio de Trabajo (Department of Labor Officials) in Costa Rica in order to coordinate an alternative method to remit all severance payments to IDS employees, thereby bypassing the facilities of IDS and Rimola to ensure that all obligations to former employees are fulfilled.

As stated previously, Absolute Poker and UB continue to operate their non-U.S. facing business around the world. The company is engaged in ongoing discussions with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney's office regarding an agreement that will facilitate the return of funds to U.S. players.

INSIDECOSTARICA.COM | COSTA RICA NEWS | Sunday 08 May 2011

Costa Rican Authorities Turn Up Heat On Online Poker Games Indicted in U.S.
Onlie-casinos.com

The U.S. has influenced many jurisdictions with its prohibition on online gambling throughout the years. The dispute with the World Trade Organization and Antigua and Barbuda being one problem that does not seem to be going away. Now the authorities in Costa Rica are pulling out all the stops by raiding the offices of Absolute Poker and PokerStars in an attempt to gather evidence regarding alleged wrong doing by those companies, as a reaction to the indictments put forth by the US Department of Justice.

Agents with the Organismo Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), proceeding with search warrants, broke down the doors at least six separate locations including residential homes and offices of persons associated with the online poker operations.

According to reports from Poker Players newspaper the police in Costa Rica raided the offices because of concerns that the firms were not paying employees salaries owed. T

he company that owns Absolute Poker and UB, Bianca Gaming, currently owes some $2,750,000 to its employees. In a heated exchange between UB’s CEO Paul Leggett and the head of UB’s Costa Rican office, Rimola threatened to spill the beans to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation which is in Costa Rica looking to solidify their case, on all he knew if the payment owing to employees is not made.

It is assumed that Costa Rican authorities were attempting to find two of the principals of Absolute Poker, Scott Tom and Brent Beckley, both were named in the US Federal DOJ indictments. Neither of the two wanted men were in their homes when raided by the police.

PokerStars Customer support offices were also raided by the Costa Rican police but have since stated the issue has been resolved. A PokerStars spokesperson said, “PokerStars expects the office to return to business as usual in short order as this action was most likely taken as a response to problems experienced by other local companies in the same industry.”

More info in today's http://www.amcostarica.com