Tony Bloom, the owner of Brighton and Hove Albion, has been accused of leading a secret £600million gambling syndicate, according to reports. The 55-year-old is alleged to have used the syndicate to place bets on football matches, with bets being placed through offshore gaming accounts belonging to George Cottrell, a former aide of Reform leader Nigel Farage.
Bloom's betting syndicate
The claim, filed at London's High Court and revealed by The Times, includes allegations from a former Starlizard employee, Ryan Dudfield, who claims he is owed £17.5m in profits made by the syndicate. Starlizard is a betting advisory company owned by Bloom, and is said to include more than 100 members who are personally invited to join by Bloom.
Secret exotic accounts
Dudfield alleged that the Brighton owner's syndicate worked via 'secret exotic accounts' in which Bloom and the syndicate placed their bets. It is also claimed that Cottrell was used as a 'whale', a term used to describe a front for the syndicate to place bets through.
Betting on football
Bloom received special permission from the Football Association (FA) in 2014 to remain involved with Starlizard and keep placing bets on football via his syndicate. However, he cannot bet on Brighton, Premier League fixtures or a knockout tournament in which a Premier League team is involved. Every bet wagered by Bloom is screened by the FA and a prominent accounting firm every year, and to date, Bloom has not breached his agreement with the FA.
Dudfield's claim
In the claim, accepted at the High Court on November 20, Dudfield is suing Bloom and the remaining members of the Starlizard betting syndicate. Dudfield also alleges that his role at Starlizard was a 'placer', where he would decide when and where to wager a bet on behalf of Bloom and the syndicate.
Bloom's net worth and Brighton's success
Bloom's net worth is estimated to be £1.3b, and under his stewardship, Brighton have risen from League One to the Premier League. The Seagulls also reached the knockout stage of the Europa League in the 2023/24 season.
