This is the news which is much talk today in the poker world. In the wake of the black friday April 15, 2011, Brent Beckley, co-founder and former vice-president of Absolute Poker received his sentence. Last December, Brent Beckley had pleaded guilty to charges that weighed against him. The main accusations that were attributed to him:
-Conspiracy to violate the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
-Violation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
-Management of illegal activity in the money games online
-Conspiracy to fraud (banks and bank transfers)
-Money laundering
In his defence, Beckley thought that what he did was not illegal. He said to judge Kaplan: "I was wrong in thinking that what I was doing was normal".
Judge Lewis Kaplan in this case ordered Brent Beckley spent 14 months in prison. This sentence should therefore set an example. Later this year, 10 other people will have to answer before the law relatively similar charge. Among these 10 people, Ray Bitar of Full Tilt Poker and his partner, Nelson Burtnick. If Bitar was found guilty of these charges, he could spend more than 14 months in jail since the charge brought against him are more numerous and heavier. It should be remembered that Ray Bitar has pleaded not guilty to charges that weighed against him and that he has released with bail of 2.5 million US dollars, waiting for his trial to come.
Brent Beckley could spend up to 18 months in jail for such accusations (theoretically 30 years, but only in extreme cases of bad faith). It is at least suggested by the law. In its defence, the DoJ admitted that Brent had cooperated with them quickly and that it was in good faith following his arrest. These few attenutants factor him surely saved a few months in prison in that case.
Previously, this is John Campos, responsible of the SunFirst Bank, who was sentenced to three months in prison. In March, Chad Elie had confessed the same loads as Beckley, but his trial will take place in October. The trouble ahead for him varies between 6 and 12 months. For Ira Rubin, the penalty could be up to 24 months.
Isai Scheinberg and Paul Tate of PokerStars, will surely less worry because they made money very quickly after black friday and they worked quickly.
Remember that no Absolute poker player has yet reviewed the colour of his money. The same is true for players who had money at Full Tilt Poker.
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