Online Casino Employee Arrested for Identity Theft

[Qbins Missile Crisis]

Play Slots at Rushmore Casino! NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- A man who had been employed by an online gambling site was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, resulting from his stealing personal information as a prelude to identity theft.

Patrick Kalonji, from the Republic of the Congo, was accused of using his position with BetOnSports.com to secure names, social security numbers, and birthdates of over 150 people, as part of a group of identity thieves. Kalonji allegedly passed the info on to other members of the ring, who then used the data to fraudulently purchase items online.

Kalonji was arrested in Philadelphia, and faces 30 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million. No bail has been set.

BetOnSports had employed Kalonji in its credit card department. The company, based out of Costa Rica, has pled guilty to racketeering charges, and has agreed with federal prosecutors to assist in a case against its own founder.

Once again shady business occurs when online casinos are not properly licensed and regulated. Businesses around the world routinely store this type of data, but it seems criminal misuse of it is more likely when the operation itself is not completely legit and aboveboard.

If online gambling operators were forced by government review in the regulation process to retain transparency and maintain standards in all areas, including securing personal information, then consumers would be protected. That would be government doing its job, not pursuing a moralistic prohibition doomed to fail.

By Brian Chan
June 24, 2008
onlinecasinosphere.com