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Published: Friday, October 05, 2007 mgowanbo.cc
Governor still undecided on extradition of Washington state citizen to Louisiana on Internet gambling allegations
Nick Jenkins, the 38 year old Seattle entrepreneur and owner of now defunct Betcha.com will have another week of stress and waiting to hear his fate after Governor Chris Gregoire postponed her decision on a request his extradition by Louisiana authorities.
In a sting operation a Louisiana trooper placed a bet at Betcha.com in July this year after Jenkins had a run-in with Washington State gambling officials over whether his betting site was illegal or not. The dispute was followed by a Washington State raid on the Betcha.com offices and confiscation of computer equipment, effectively putting Jenkins out of business. He has launched litigation against the state gambling authorities as a result.
Jenkins site benefited by only 70 cents from the transaction at the centre of the row, but Louisiana officials nevertheless pressed ahead with a request that Jenkins be extradited to the southern state. Washington governor Gregoire has the final word on whether such a course of action should go ahead.
Jenkins, who is himself a lawyer, has asserted throughout the affair that his Betcha.com site was legal because it served only as a gambling forum and did not bank games.
His lawyer, Lee Rousso, says delaying the extradition hearing until next Wednesday may give him time to work something out. |
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