The Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) has shut down the online casino ‘Nomad Poker’, which was operating in Kazakhstan. According to the investigation, the gaming platform operated through a network of foreign money mules, and the total amount received from players exceeded 7.5 billion tenge.
WHAT THE INVESTIGATION FOUND
According to the FMA department for the North Kazakhstan Region (NKR), the activities of the online casino, which was based on the mobile application ‘Club GG Poker’, were coordinated by Kazakh citizens who were located in Georgia.
The investigation believes that this scheme allowed the organisers to remain hidden, made it difficult to track money flows, and enabled the use of bank accounts and communication devices registered in the names of foreign nationals.
HOW THE SCHEME WORKED
It is reported that the gaming platform operated around the clock and offered the opportunity to take part in gambling in the form of online poker, with cash stakes and the ability to withdraw winnings.
Social networks, messaging apps, and advertising tools were used to attract new participants. According to the agency, more than 20,000 users were involved in the activities of the online casino.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE MONEY MULES
The investigation believes that the organisers used an extensive system of third-party bank accounts — money mules. To do this, the suspects arranged for the organised entry of foreign nationals into Kazakhstan, on whose names bank cards and mobile banking accounts were opened in exchange for a fee of up to $400.
More than 60 drop accounts were used to service the activities of the online casino. The total amount received from players exceeded 7.5 billion tenge.
WHAT MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN
By court order, a flat in Almaty, 3 cars, and funds totalling 158 million tenge held in the bank accounts of the money mules have been seized.
The investigation is ongoing.
