the arrest of David Carruthers

[sgxnk]

a clear example of nannystate, intrusive, overreaching govt. law enforcement imo. congress is on a "roll"

truly disgusting.

from
www.reason.com


Although they supposedly speak English in England, they have different names for certain things. When they say "lift," they mean "elevator." "Lorry" is their word for "truck." And someone they call a "businessman" is what we call a "racketeer."

David Carruthers, CEO of BetOnSports, discovered the significance of that difference during a recent layover at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, where he was arrested for helping Americans bet on sports. His arrest is part of a larger attempt by the U.S. government to impose its brand of repressive paternalism on countries with more tolerant policies.

Carruthers was on his way from London, where his company is headquartered, to Costa Rica, where its online betting operations are based. The business is perfectly legal in both of those places, but not in the United States. And since most of its customers are Americans, Carruthers is guilty of about 20 different felonies.

Or so the FBI and the Justice Department say, and they're the ones with the guns and handcuffs. Catherine Hanaway, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, accuses Carruthers and 10 other people associated with BetOnSports, including company founder Gary Kaplan, of violating the 1961 Wire Act, which prohibits using "a wire communication facility" to accept bets on "any sporting event or contest."

Leaving aside the question of whether the Internet counts as a "wire communication facility," online bookmakers in other countries argue that the U.S. prohibition does not apply to them simply because some of their customers are Americans. If a betting operation is based in Costa Rica, they say, that's where the betting takes place, even if the customer is using a computer in St. Louis.

The Justice Department disagrees, and on this difference in interpretation it has built an indictment that could send Carruthers to prison for decades. While a Wire Act violation carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison, a "racketeering conspiracy" involving such a violation can be punished by a prison term of up to 20 years. So can "mail fraud," which BetOnSports supposedly committed by advertising that it is "legal and licensed"--never mind that BetOnSports is legal and licensed in the countries where it operates.

More at link...



© Copyright 2006 by Creators Syndicate Inc.

[nosillies]

1. But the internet isn't a "wire communication facility."

It's just a bunch of tubes and trucks, right?:D

[sgxnk]

3. well..

that's just one of the "internets" :)

[neweurope]

2. In other words - US laws must now be the law of the whole world?

God help us all.

And there are still Americans who don't understand why the world hates you...

:argh:


--------------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[LisaLynne]

4. Hi, sgxnk.

Please be aware that DU copyright rules require that excerpts of copyrighted material be limited to four paragraphs and must include a link to the original source.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. Dear sgxnk,

Please be aware that DU copyright rules require that excerpts of copyrighted material be limited to four paragraphs.

Best,
wakemeupwhenitsover
DU Moderator