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The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has charged 11 individuals with serious offences, including conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to bribe, related to the provision of gambling services in Turkey between 2011 and 2018.
The 11 people are charged with seven offences relating to bribery, conspiracy to defraud, fraudulent trading, cheating the public revenue, evasion of income tax, acting as a director of a company when undischarged bankrupt and perverting the course of justice, according to a statement issued by Hannah von Dadelszen, chief crown prosecutor for the CPS, on Thursday (August 28).
“This has been a complex and international investigation," said Richard Las, director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service. "These are serious charges that relate to conspiracy to defraud, bribery, cheating the public revenue, evasion of income tax and perverting the course of justice, among others.”
Among those being prosecuted is Kenny Alexander, the former CEO of GVC Holdings, who has been charged with conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to bribe between 2011 and 2018. Alexander was chief executive of GVC until his departure in 2020.
Lee Feldman, a resident of East Hampton, New York, and former chairman of GVC, was charged with conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to bribe between 2011 and 2018.
The first hearing in this case will be held on October 6 at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
"We remind everyone that proceedings are now active and we won't be adding anything further," Las said.
The Gambling Commission said it would not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
In response to the CPS statement, Entain, formerly GVC Holdings, said: “The company has not been charged and none of the individuals charged are currently employed by the company or its group.
“The company entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the CPS in December 2023, which, subject to continued compliance with its terms, resolved the HM Revenue & Customs investigation insofar as it concerned the company and its group,” Entain said.
In December 2023, Entain’s agreement with the CPS led to a £615m penalty for alleged bribery offences in its former Turkish business, coupled with an order for Entain to leave certain “regulating” markets within a year.
