Warrant issued against alleged FTP beneficiaries


Saturday September 24, 2011 : JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MOVES AGAINST POKER DEFENDANTS' ASSETS
 
Warrant ‘in rem' issued against alleged FTP beneficiaries
 
The Justice Department has clearly not yet finished with individuals named in its actions against Full Tilt Poker and associated companies – as the week ended it piled on more pressure with the issue of a warrant ‘in rem' (litigation directed toward the seizure of property)
 
Earlier, the United States Attorney's Office in Manhattan added four names to its $3 billion civil action against the beleaguered company, including company directors Howard Lederer, Chris Ferguson, CEO Ray Bitar, and Rafe Furst . The DOJ additionally issued a warrant in rem for the seizure of five allegedly related bank accounts.
 
The warrant "commands and authorises" any person in possession of the specified property who is served with the warrant to seize it, naming accounts at various US and offshore banks held by the defendants or their companies.  Those companies include HH Lederer Consulting LLC and Telamonian Ajax Trust.
 
Persons in possession of the property are enjoined to prepare a written inventory of the property seized and promptly return the warrant and inventory before the court of the Southern District of New York.
 
The warrant is signed by the Honorable Leonard B. Sand, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, and was issued to "any designated officer of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and/or any law enforcement officer authorized by law," commanding them to seize the property that appears in the warrant.