Former directors of Entain, the gambling company that owns Ladbrokes and Coral, are among 11 people who have been charged with offences including bribery, fraud, cheating the public revenue, tax evasion and perverting the course of justice.
The Crown Prosecution Service said on Thursday that it had authorised the prosecution of 11 individuals for seven alleged offences in relation to the provision of gambling services in Turkey between 2011 and 2018.
The CPS said it had charged Kenny Alexander, the former chief executive of Entain, Lee Feldman, its former chair, Richard Cooper, its former finance director, and Robert Hoskin, its former legal director, as well as James Humberstone, who held several roles with the company.
It has also charged six other people who did not work for Entain.
Ten of the people were charged with offences allegedly committed between 2011 and 2018, and one was charged with an offence relating to the investigation by HMRC.
The CPS, which said it had worked with HMRC investigators, said the alleged offences related 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.
All of the former directs of Entain, formerly GVC Holdings, were charged with conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to bribe between 2011 and 2018, except Hoskin who was charged with perverting the course of justice in February 2024.
The first hearing in the case will be held on 6 October at Westminster magistrates court.
Richard Las, the director of HMRC’s fraud investigation service, said: “This has been a complex and international investigation. 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.”
A spokesperson for Entain 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 with the CPS in December 2023 which, subject to continued compliance with its terms, resolved the HM Revenue and Customs investigation insofar as it concerned the company and its group.
“The company has no further comment to make in respect of these matters, which are the subject of ongoing criminal proceedings and reporting restrictions.”
