Online Poker Payment Processor Arrested in U.S.

Daniel Tzvetkoff, the Australian national whose online payment processing company collapsed last year owing four online poker sites over $30 million, has been arrested in Las Vegas.

The 27-year-old faces four charges of gambling conspiracy, bank fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and money laundering.

Dow Jones newswire reported Tzvetkoff’s lawyer, Mace Yampolsky, as saying on Friday, “At this stage of the game, it’s difficult to know exactly what type of evidence is out there. The allegations are certainly fantastic. They are only allegations. I can’t comment any further on the veracity of them."

The U.S. Attorney’s office is alleging that Tzvetkoff’s company, Intabill, helped online poker companies process over $500 million in transactions between February 2008 and March 2009 when his company collapsed.

Tzvetkoff remains in custody in the U.S and faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted according to News.com.au.

One of the charges Tzvetkoff faces is that he violated the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006. He is believed to be the first person in custody and arrested for breaking that controversial law.

Tzvetkoff was reportedly arrested at the Encore hotel.

“Obviously he’s distraught. He came to Las Vegas for a vacation really and now he is in custody,” said Mace Yampolsky, Tzvetkoff’s attorney. “He has been in better spirits.”

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with additional information.

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