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http://www.egrmagazine.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=1809&d=pg_dtl_art_news&h=0&f=0
Carruthers makes lobbying plea
David Carruthers, ex-chief executive of BetonSports, has sent a letter asking for individuals at the company’s former advisers to lobby the UK government, the EU and UK and European Members of Parliament on his behalf as part of his attempts to use the recent WTO decision as part of his defence.The news came in the same week that BetonSports plc entered voluntary liquidation and a matter of days after the US authorities in Utah unveiled further indictments against individuals behind US-facing online gambling interests, including those at payment processing companies Gateway Technologies and CurrenC.
In the letter, Carruthers asks the recipients – including it is believed individuals at BetonSports’ brokers Evolution and auditors Baker Tilly – to write to Charlie McCreevy, European commissioner for internal market services at the European Commission, and Peter Mandelson, European commissioner for external trade, as well as UK and European Members of Parliament.
The Carruthers letter was sent early in May, subsequent to a decision by judge Mary Ann Medler in St Louis, Missouri, to allow Carruthers’ lawyers to seek outside opinion regarding the recent finding by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in favour of Antigua and Barbuda’s complaint against the US in regard to online gambling.
Carruthers accuses the US government of actions which have “destroyed businesses, free competition and lives”. The letter adds that “now more than ever it is important to get heard” and that it is “critical to communicate and ensure that (the) impact and importance of this WTO decision are not lost to silence and inaction”.
Carruthers says the WTO decision has “extraordinary implications for my life” and adds that the issue “goes beyond my personal circumstances”.
The letter goes on: “The US decision to arrest me not only shut down BetonSports, but the actions by the US government have destroyed nearly all the public online gaming companies in the UK. Based on what the WTO has now called a treaty violation, more than US$10bn in equity of UK-listed companies were wiped away. Three UK listed gaming companies have closed completely and other UK citizens have been arrested as well, victims of a policy that the WTO has now determined as unfair and violates their treaties.”
Carruthers was arrested last July on charges of racketeering and wire fraud by the US authorities and is currently on bail in a St Louis hotel awaiting trial. In his letter, he says he has been “under house arrest for over eight months”.
Author:Sarah Treanor
Publisher:eGaming Review
Date:2007-05-18
Categories:Industry, Legal
Sections:Top News“The US decision to arrest me not only shut down BetonSports, but the actions by the US government have destroyed nearly all the public online gaming companies in the UK. Based on what the WTO has now called a treaty violation, more than US$10bn in equity of UK-listed companies were wiped away. Three UK listed gaming companies have closed completely and other UK citizens have been arrested as well, victims of a policy that the WTO has now determined as unfair and violates their treaties.”
I just don’t understand how the world allows the US to walk all over them like that.
It’s called nuclear weapons and the biggest miliatary in the West.
This coupled with a US governments myopic focus on internal opinions only and an amazing ability to speak double-speak in international arenas means that this protectionism remains despite overwhelming global disdain.
Of course the downside is that the American reputation for straight talking and fairplay suffers – but hey – when has that ever really bothered policitians.
:plain:I’ll tell you what choice.
Antigua (or however its spelled) starts selling copies of Microsoft, all videos, and all albums for pennies on the dollar until the US abides by the WTO ruling.
you’d be surprised how quick things would change with Billy Gates, Nashville and Hollywood all over the politician’s asses to set things right and stop the pirating.
I used to love this country. Now I’m ashamed to say I’m from here.
well said. I still love this country, but every day I become more and more outraged at the money-grubing soulless creatons that have taken it over. makes my blood boil just to watch the news anymore.
Already happening BB. India,China, and Malasia are the only 3 countries that does not pay attention to International Copyright laws. Movies,Software etc is traded there for pennies on the dollar costing MS and Hollywood millions.
Gooner, Nukes have nothing to do with it. It’s the mentailty of the Bush Administration. They do what they like, when they like, and to whom they like at any time. Unfortunetly, the way our Constitution is written (and that may change) there is virtually nothing we can do except enjoy the ride. The only thing that can possibly happen is Congress can impeach. But, its highly unlikely they will have the votes to uphold the impeachment. So now we are left with a nation counting the days until Chimpy is out of office. The real scary part of this whole Bush debackle is in the end we may very well end up being a one party nation. That brings up concerns on its own.
john1124 wrote:Gooner, Nukes have nothing to do with it.
My point was that as the US government in interested in ONLY what American people think of their policies then there is little scope for international moderation.The nukes and the army stop any direct forceful interference …
And the last country to threaten US oil supplies is still occupied …
Admittedly my point was little tounue-in-cheek … but being the biggest bully in the playground means that the US can still thumb it’s nose at any international convention it feels like ..
:unhappy:TheGooner wrote:My point was that as the US government in interested in ONLY what American people think of their policies…Actually, they don’t care what American people think of their policies.
Whenever they do care, they just tell them what to think.
My point was that as the US government in interested in ONLY what American people think of their policies then there is little scope for international moderation.
The nukes and the army stop any direct forceful interference …
And the last country to threaten US oil supplies is still occupied …
I know this is not a political forum, but…
Is this what the world really thinks? I can see how, but let me go on and clear up some bad mis-coneptions.
My point was that as the US government in interested in ONLY what American people think of their policies then there is little scope for international moderation.
Oh Really? 73% of the Nation agrees we should be out of Iraq; The conflict continues, 80% Americans felt that online-Gambling should have been left alone; It was banned, 75% of Americans feel that Stem-Cell research is something science should explore; Bush Vetoed the Stem-Cell Bill.
Look this Administration dont give a shit about it’s constituents; obviously. It’ only cares about its own Hidden agenda’s and everyone else is a tool in order to acheive it.
The nukes and the army stop any direct forceful interference …
No the Right to Bare Arms does that. Nothing to do with the military.
And the last country to threaten US oil supplies is still occupied …
And we are still paying the highest price per gallon then we have ever did in history. So obviously, the American Public is not reaping any rewards from the Iraq war believe me. This military action was not so much about the potential of “Weapons of Mass Destruction” and moreso a Bush “Personal vendetta” against the leadership of Iraq.
john1124 wrote:Look this Administration dont give a shit about it’s constituents; obviously. It’ only cares about its own Hidden agenda’s and everyone else is a tool in order to acheive it.Forgive me if this is a little off topic but I have a very close friend who’s life has been devastated by the thoughtless use of people as a means to an end in a corrupt regime..My best friend enlisted for a 3 year bit right after high school to get some money for college and some padding for a resume. (this was around 1990). He stayed in the reserve to make a little more money for his family and enjoy some of the benefits—basically he thought he’d be playing extreme paintball on the weekends and be ready to respond if ever there was a crisis. He is now on his 3rd tour, and in the meantime another man has moved into his house and is raising his two kids– his wife is pregnant with a 3rd by this man. IF he is lucky enough to come back alive and in one piece, he has a divorce and custody battle to look forward to—perhaps this would have happened in any event but I rather doubt it. It is impossible to calculate the human toll this fiasco will ultimately take, and for what?? Cheap gas??? HA!!
My .02…thanks for letting me vent.
its bad, but do you guys think one person has the power your talking about here? Dont focus on the current administration as much as the total power lies in the back pockets of the congress. Things will get to a point hopefully where the public stands up finally. the first movie antiqua should produce is v for vandetta and send a free one to all americans.
We sorely need injured parties like the UK to speak up. David C. has the right idea, he appeals to the variuos affected British channels.
The EU also has a bone to pick with the US regarding this. Also, the civil liberties organizations within the US need to be approached regularly about the issue.
Sitting there and shrugging one’s shoulders, saying:”the US is a bully and we can’t do anything to defend ourselves” is self defeating for all, US citizens and non US.
One thing we can all still do is speak up and be heard. It’s getting a bit better on that count, at least we get coverage from main street media now.
It’s going to be an uphill battle. David may well be a catalyst, his trial will certainly be the first time the DOJ has to actually address and push the issue in a court setting.
The US government has been taken over by Christian fundamentalists, the same way Iran was taken over by Muslim fundamentalists.
While I have no beef with either religion, fundamentalists in general tend to roll back human development to a medieval state. Religions in general tend to grow with the times, incorporating general human freedoms and abolishing violence as enforcement of rules. Fundamentalists roll this back to a much earlier state.
Any group of people that ferevently believes they are the only ones who hold the answers to life’s problems and enforces compliance by others is a danger to humanity.
Doesn’t matter if they are religious fundamentalists or political fundamentalists (as in fundamentalist communism or naziism), they will ignore all other factors and stick to a bare bone, age old doctrine that destroys society as it has evolved over the centuries.
The granting of basic human freedoms is a relatively new phenomenon in society, and overall quality of life has improved immensely because of it.
We try not to have things like the inquisition and genocide because of the granting of individual freedoms.
Rolling this development back is a very very dangerous proposition!
I don’t think most US citizens are aware at all what is happening here. One by one, civil liberties are being eroded under the name of protection against terrorism. Guess what – the terrorists have won. Western societies are becoming just as fundamentalist as the radical muslims. Our freedoms are going out the window, one by one.
The way EVERYONE can defend themselves (still) is by using free speech while we have it.
My hat off to you, David! :hattip: So much hinges on your sucess, not to mention your own life. I belive you are on the right track and wish you ALL the success!
On a side note… the immigration bill that was passed yesterday has not been written yet! That’s right. The senate has passed a bill that has not even been written. Maybe somewhere in the 1,000 pages that is expected for the bill a senator can put a legal Internet gambling snippet.
The way this country is run amazes me more and more the more I pay attention. Maybe we all just need to go back to not paying attention.
