In an apparent crackdown on Internet gambling, federal authorities
in New York have frozen or seized bank accounts worth $34 million
belonging to 27,000 online poker players, according to representatives
for the players and account holders.

In an operation that began last week, the office of the U.S.
Attorney for the Southern District of New York froze or issued seizure
orders for bank accounts in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Arizona held
at Wells Fargo, Citibank, Goldwater Bank and Alliance Bank of Arizona.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office had no comment.