Ladbrokes owner’s ex-CEO in UK court charged with bribery in Turkey

British betting institution Entain’s erstwhile CEO and different elder directors appeared successful a London tribunal connected Monday charged with bribery and fraud connected to gambling successful Turkey.

Kenny Alexander, main enforcement of the institution formerly called GVC until his departure successful 2020, is charged with conspiracy to bribe and conspiracy to defraud betwixt 2011 and 2018. Alexander, 56, led the institution from 2007 and turned it from an upstart gambling steadfast into a FTSE 100 business, orchestrating the 4 billion-pound ($5.37 billion) acquisition of Ladbrokes Coral announced successful 2017. GVC’s erstwhile non-executive president Lee Feldman, 57, and ex-CFO Richard Cooper, 64, are besides charged with conspiracy to bribe and conspiracy to defraud.

The conspiracy to defraud complaint alleges Alexander, Feldman, Cooper and others conspired to defraud fiscal institutions oregon those performing fiscal monitoring oregon compliance functions by concealing the source of wealth made from gambling successful Turkey.

None of the defendants were asked to participate a plea to immoderate of the charges and were granted bail until their adjacent tribunal quality astatine Southwark Crown Court connected November 3.

A lawyer for Alexander was not instantly available for comment, but helium antecedently told the Financial Times that the lawsuit would beryllium “vigorously defended.”

Entain said successful a statement when the charges were announced successful August that neither Entain nor immoderate existent employees had been charged. [Reuters]