QuickTender (QT), also operating under UseMyWallet (UMW), issued a statement Tuesday stating that “certain funds of QuickTender have indeed been subject to a seizure order by the US authorities,” and this represents “a significant amount” of operating funds. US players are also urged to open bank accounts in Euros to facilitate future withdrawals. No timeline was given for when withdrawals may begin.
The statement comes after recent confusion over the status of bank funds recently seized in the Blue Monday indictments. In the affidavit, two of the eleven bank accounts in the seizure warrant were in the Netherlands in the name of ChargeStream Ltd – the processor used by QT/UMW.
There has been recent speculation that the money in bank accounts outside the US is not yet frozen. Aaron Wilt, notable high stakes player and coach, reported on his personal blog Monday that he spoke with Maryland US Attorney Richard Kay who stated that no funds outside the US are under seizure.
“[The] entire process takes 4-6 months to complete,” quoted Wilt. During this period, ChargeStream Ltd. can continue to access the accounts. “The chance of any money being left in those accounts by the time we get to them is so close to zero I’d call it zero,” said Kay.
If true, this calls in to question the other bank accounts supposedly seized, and not just those related to “Blue Monday.” Black Friday saw 75 bank accounts in over 14 different countries named in the wide-reaching seizure warrant.
However, five days prior to Blue Monday, pokerfuse reported that QuickTender funds had already been seized – and from bank accounts within the United States.
“The money left our account in Europe,” QuickTender claimed in an official statement.
“... money has been accumulated in our bank’s correspondent banking partners’ accounts in the US, and has been frozen. We suspect it is possible that these funds may be subject to a seizure order by the US authorities. We would stress that we do not have bank accounts in the US of our own, and that the funds have left our account Europe.”
If accurate, it suggests that even if two ChargeStream bank accounts in Europe are not yet frozen, they may have lost significant funds from bank accounts within the US prior to Blue Monday.
In the statement from QuickTender posted through the CasinoMeister forums, the company assures that it is “a reputable organisation,” and they are doing what they can to ensure the safety of players’ funds.
They also recommend for US players to somehow open bank accounts in Euros in order to facilitate withdrawals.
“[Due to] current restrictions we are unable to transmit any funds in USD,” stated QuickTender. “If you do not have an account in Euros we would urge you to obtain one in order to receive your funds.”
The full statement follows this article.
On Friday, Anne Arundel County Police Department was awarded $0.5m as part of a Homeland Security “Asset Forfeiture/Equitable Sharing” program thanks to their “Critical Assistance” in what US Immigration and Customs Inforcement (ICE) dubbed “Operation Texas Hold’em.”
In the sting operation, fake payment processor Linwood Payment Solutions operated from fall 2009 to Jan 2011, allegedly processing over $33m in over 300,000 gambling transactions for betED, K-23 and other gambling establishments. However, when the Baltimore Sun questioned William Winter – special agent in charge of the Baltimore HSI investigation – as to the origin of the funds given to Anne Arundel County Police, he stated that funds came from seizures that “... happened more than a year ago.”
The complete QuickTender statement:
The management of QuickTender would like to give an update on the status of QuickTender account balance.
Contrary to some speculation in the forums here and elsewhere, certain funds of QuickTender have indeed been subject to a seizure order by the US authorities. We hope to advise those affected in the near future on the status of these funds. The funds were withheld from our processor, ChargeStream Ltd and the action is a matter that is in the public domain. Whilst not all of our funds are affected, a significant amount has been. QuickTender is a reputable organisation, and we wish to ensure so far as we
can that our account holders do not lose their funds in our care.
We are looking at how we can release funds to our account holders as soon as possible, however because of current restrictions we are unable to transmit any funds in USD.
In order for customers to have their balances refunded, at present they will need to have a currency account in Euros as we can currently cannot make any payments into any USD denominated accounts. If you do not have an account in Euros we would urge you to obtain one in order to receive your funds.
At the end of this week QuickTender aims to advise further on enabling withdrawal of funds from your QuickTender Account.
Please bear with us in these difficult times as we endeavour to resolve the situation despite the severe limitations we face.”
