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20 Jul 2006 |
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Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, July 20, 2006
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| LAS Che del Tango: “The Tango Series,” by Argentine artist Mayté Saine, is on display at two exhibits in the Central Valley area; one opened Tuesday at the Colegio Universitario in Cartago, east of San José, and another opens today at Enmarcarte Gallery in Escazú, west of San José. Saine, whose work has been praised in Europe and South America, portrays movement and personality through oil paining. Photo courtesy of Enmarcarte Gallery. |
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Sportsbook Shuts Down
Web Site
Following CEO's Arrest
Frequent visitors to the sports gambling Web site BetonSports.com may have been surprised yesterday to discover that the site's usual home page had been replaced with a message explaining that “in light of court papers filed in the United States, the company has temporarily suspended this facility pending its ability to assess its full position.”
(Click for more)
Sharks Tagged at
Expedition At Isla del Cocos
Divers and researchers from Costa Rica, the United Kingdom and the United States are conducting research on sharks in the waters around Isla del Coco, an island off the Pacific port of Puntarenas, according to a statement from the Marine Turtle Restoration Program (PRETOMA).
(Click for more)
July 20
Storytelling Night for Adults
Fernando Franco presents (in Spanish) “Historias de Amor, Bares y Cualquier Lugar,” 7 p.m., Casa de la Cultura Popular, 300 m. north and 300 m. east of Santa Teresita Church, Barrio Escalante, San José. Info: 224-0010.
Chamber Concert
The Alfa and Omega choir performs, 7:30 p.m., free admission, Calderón Guardia Museum, Barrio Escalante.
Edited By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Sportsbook Shuts Down
Web Site
Following CEO's Arrest
By Amanda Roberson
Tico Times Staff
aroberson@ticotimes.net
Frequent visitors to the sports gambling Web site BetonSports.com may have been surprised yesterday to discover that the site's usual home page had been replaced with a message explaining that “in light of court papers filed in the United States, the company has temporarily suspended this facility pending its ability to assess its full position.”
This comes three days after BetonSports' Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Carruthers, a British citizen, was arrested by U.S. authorities at the Dallas airport. Carruthers, along with 10 other people, is being charged with racketeering, conspiracy and fraud by the U.S. Department of Justice, according to a statement from the department.
BetonSports' founder Gary Kaplan is also in custody and being charged with 20 felony violations of federal laws and failing to pay federal wagering excise taxes on more than $3.3 billion in wagers taken from the United States. The U.S. government is seeking forfeiture of $4.5 billion from Kaplan and his associates, the statement said.
BetonSports investor relations advisor Ginny Pulbrook told The Tico Times in a phone interview from London that Carruthers' arrest came as “a complete and utter surprise” to the company, which is appealing his arrest.
Costa Rican Internet gambling insiders say they are also surprised by the U.S.'s action, considering that BetonSports is registered in England and operates a call center employing more than 1,500 people in Costa Rica.
Still, Eduardo Agami, president of the Costa Rican Call Centers and Electronic Data Association, said “ I'd be hard pressed to think it will be enough to shut them down.”
Despite the Web site not functioning, employees reported to work as normal yesterday at BetonSports' offices, which occupy the top four floors of the San Pedro Mall, east of San José.
The Costa Rican office has not made any official statements or responded to questions about Carruthers' arrest.
See Friday's print or pdf edition of The Tico Times for more on this story.
Sharks Tagged at Expedition At Isla del Cocos
Divers and researchers from Costa Rica, the United Kingdom and the United States are conducting research on sharks in the waters around Isla del Coco, an island off the Pacific port of Puntarenas, according to a statement from the Marine Turtle Restoration Program (PRETOMA).
From July 3-15, research teams tagged 15 hammerhead sharks to determine their regional migration routes, and 10 others were tagged with acoustic radio transmitters to study their movement around the island.
This trip was the fourth in a series of seven that are part of a joint research project between the U.S. Shark Research Institute and PRETOMA, based in Costa Rica. The Isla del Coco expedition was funded by the two British organizations, the Joint Services Expedition Trust Committee and the Royal Geographic Society, the statement said.
Two of the sharks' satellite tags are programmed to collect data for four months, two for two months and two for 10 days. The 10 sharks tagged with radio transmitters are expected to transmit radio signals for one year.
All of the sharks tagged are adult females three to four meters long. They were tagged at depths ranging from 20 to 35 meters.
“Isla del Coco is one of the most important habitats for sharks in the world,” said PRETOMA president Randall Arauz. “Determining sharks' movements around the island as well as where they are migrating will help in creating policies to protect them and foster the development of sustainable fisheries of this important resource.”
-Tico Times
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