Quote:
Dear Client,
As you may have encountered, the bank is currently not able to render its banking services in the normal course of business.
This unfortunate situation is the result of a visit to the bank on September 5, 2006 by Dutch and local authorities for the purpose of gathering information as part of an investigation, inter alia into alleged money laundering by the bank in relation to alleged VAT fraud by clients of the bank. The Dutch authorities have placed substantial liens on assets of the bank to secure any claim they may have in connection with the above referred to allegations.
Now that's one I hadn't heard before. It does not inspire confidence.
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This is most likely the true reason they cannot pay. This seems a strong indication that this bank has been a front for organised crime, to enable them to clean up their ill gotten gains. The authorities will have frozen everything at the bank, and the casino should have immediately ceased trading as they are effectively insolvent. The fact that they are taking deposits means they have no morals, and are probably diverting this money elsewhere, and will probably cut & run once there is any danger of the investigation by the Dutch leading to arrest warrents and charges. They will lose all the money in that bank, but will at least have scammed a few more unwary punters while the investigation is under way. With the account frozen, there is no way they can even pay their operating costs, let alone players withdrawals.
Identification of the bank involved should enable more detailed checking to be done to see what is going on. There may even be a means to stake a claim with the Dutch authorities if it can be shown the money was scammed from a member of the public but was able to be recovered before it could be "laundered".