US Court Denies DOJ Request to Freeze $30 Million Gambling Account
Illegal Gambling
A US District Court Judge denied a DOJ request to freeze three UBS investment accounts in Miami totaling more than $30 million dollars of alleged illegal gambling profits.
According to casino gambling news, the government alleges that the monies are the direct profits from illegal gambling operation in the Dutch Caribbean countries of Curacao and St. Maarten.
U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly refused the prosecution request to enforce a Curacao restraining order and blasted the prosecutors for the improper use of the Patriot Act. A provision of the Patriot Act allows U.S. judges to enforce judgments by foreign courts.
The District Judge Kollar-Kotelly wrote that the DOJ freeze order request “does not mention, let alone explain how” such a request would be consistent with previous court interpretations of the provision of the Patriot Act.
The gambling funds in question are allegedly belong to Mr. Robertico Alejandro dos Santos, who controls all forms of legal gambling in both St. Maarten and Curacao including the popular ‘Robbie’s Lottery.’
According to Curacao prosecutors, Mr. dos Santos sold $54 million in forged lottery tickets, instant bingo and instant blackjack card games since 2004. Prosecutors allege that Mr. dos Santos used his legitimate gambling businesses as a front for the sale of the forged lottery tickets.
According to a recent tax return, dos Santos and his wife made only $67,500 the previous year. Mr. dos Santos is deeply connected with the ruling political party of Curacao, with a number of relatives and close friends and associates at cabinet level positions.
Local news sources allege off the record that Mr. dos Santos is the ‘King of Curacao’ and is ‘untouchable’.
