|
| Busted! Employee caught for Identity Theft at Online Casino |
|
| 00:05 AM Tuesday July 1st 2008 |
|
|
|
|
An online casino employee arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. He used personal data stored by the company with the intent to commit identity theft.
Patrick Kalonji stands accused of using his position at the online casino, BetOnSports.com to fraudulently obtain the personal data of more than 150 people. He was part of a crime syndicate who used the information to purchase goods online.
The casino employee was arrested in Philadelphia and is facing 30 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $1 million. Bail has not as yet been set.
Kalonji worked in the credit card department of BetOnSports. The Costa Rican based company pled guilty to charges of racketeering. They will cooperate with federal prosecutors in the case against its founder.
Online casinos are more prone to these kinds of abuses because operators often not licensed and therefore not regulated. Personal data of millions of people around the globe is regularly stored by all types of businesses. Businesses that are not entirely legal and/or transparent are more likely perpetrators of misuse of information.
Stricter Government regulations are called for when it comes to online casinos. The regulation process is currently under review which will hopefully enforce transparency and particularly focus on securing personal information for the protection of consumers. Government's role is to set standards and force operators of online casinos to protect their clients from identity theft, not the pursuit of a prohibition based on morals which will inevitably fail. The aim of Government should be to look after the interests of their citizens and not the policing of public morals.
|
|
