Brighton Owner Tony Bloom Faces High Court Lawsuit Over Alleged £600m Betting Syndicate Involving Farage Aide George Cottrell and Claimant Ryan Dudfield

Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom faces allegations in a High Court lawsuit claiming he operated a secret betting syndicate worth approximately £600 million annually, with court documents alleging the use of accounts belonging to George Cottrell, a former aide to UK politician Nigel Farage.

The 19-page legal filing was submitted by Ryan Dudfield, a former associate who claims he is owed approximately £17.5 million ($250 million) under a 7% profit-share agreement. Dudfield describes himself as an "introducer" who connected the syndicate with Cottrell, providing access to betting accounts that allegedly generated substantial winnings.

Allegations of Account Control and Frontmen

According to court documents obtained by The Guardian and The Times, Cottrell allegedly permitted the Starlizard Betting Syndicate to take control of his personal gambling accounts to place bets on sporting fixtures, predominantly football matches. The filing states Cottrell "had given control of his betting accounts to Mr. Bloom and the Syndicate so that it was not necessary for bets to be sent to Mr. Cottrell for him to place."

The documents allege the syndicate used "secret exotic accounts" operated from satellite offices in London’s Canary Wharf, with bets placed through Stake.com, an offshore cryptocurrency-based platform. Cottrell reportedly received 33% of all winnings while being shielded from any losses under the arrangement.

Court papers further allege that Bloom’s syndicate used accounts belonging to other "footballers, sportsmen and businessmen" in a similar capacity. These frontmen, sometimes referred to as "whales" in gambling circles, were reportedly used to bypass restrictions that betting operators typically impose on high-volume or highly successful betting accounts.

Claims of Continued Operations

Dudfield alleges he was informed the syndicate had ceased using Cottrell’s accounts, but later discovered betting activity had continued without his knowledge. The filing claims that Cottrell and Ian McAleavy, a key associate of Bloom, maintained the arrangement during this period, resulting in undisclosed profits that Dudfield contends he is entitled to receive under their agreement.

Bloom’s Gambling Background and FA Exemption

Bloom, known in gambling circles as "The Lizard," is a billionaire whose wealth was built through professional poker and his data-driven sports betting consultancy, Starlizard, founded in 2006. His net worth is estimated at £1.3 billion ($1.7 billion).

Since 2014, Bloom has held special dispensation from the Football Association to operate his betting consultancy and continue placing bets on football through his syndicate. This exemption was extended to other club owners with pre-existing business interests in gambling, including Brentford’s Matthew Benham.

The FA exemption comes with strict conditions: Bloom is prohibited from betting on Brighton matches, any other Premier League fixtures, or matches in knockout competitions involving Premier League teams. According to reports, all of Bloom’s bets are audited annually by both a leading accountancy firm and the FA. Bloom has never been found to have breached this agreement.

Cottrell’s Background

George Cottrell, known in political circles as "Posh George," previously served as Nigel Farage’s chief of staff and is a key figure within Reform UK’s inner circle. In 2016, Cottrell was sentenced to eight months in a US prison after admitting to offering money-laundering services for drug dealers on the dark web. He currently describes himself on LinkedIn as a "political adviser and strategist" who served as deputy treasurer of UKIP during the 2016 EU referendum campaign and The Brexit Party in 2019.

No Response Filed

Tony Bloom has yet to file a defense to the High Court claim. Lawyers acting for Cottrell were approached for comment by The Guardian. In relation to separate allegations, Cottrell’s lawyers have previously stated he had "no involvement" in companies using cryptocurrencies and was not a stakeholder in the offshore site Tether.bet.

Brighton’s Success Under Bloom

Bloom became chairman of Brighton in 2009 and secured a 75% shareholding stake in the club, investing £93 million to support the development of the club’s AMEX Stadium. Under his ownership, Brighton has risen from League One to become Premier League regulars, earning recognition for their successful scouting system. The club has generated considerable profits from player sales, including Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister, Yves Bissouma, Marc Cucurella, and Ben White.

Bloom also acquired a 29% stake in Scottish club Hearts for £9.86 million ($13 million) in 2024.

Source: The Guardian / The Times