The Justice Department has seized accounts of 31 banks as part of an investigation into illicit online poker bets.
Accounts were seized at banks including those belonging to Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Comerica Inc., Mercantile Bank, Marshall & Ilsley Corp., Mutual of Omaha Bank and SunTrust Banks Inc.
The National Credit Union Administration, which had been monitoring unusual financial activity at Vensure Federal Credit Union in Mesa, Ariz., closed the $4.7 million-asset credit union on Friday.
The NCUA acted after authorities in New York unsealed an indictment against the founders of the three largest internet poker companies operating in the U.S., Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and PokerStars.com. Two of the 11 individuals named in the indictment were arrested on Friday.
