As predicted when it happened, Sportingbet has paid a $400,000 ransom to the peoples republic of louisiana to have the charges dropped against CEO Peter Dicks
State Police, working with St. Landry prosecutors, had secured warrants in May in an investigation that focused on Sportingbet PLC, a company that operates out of England, where online gambling is legal.
The company’s former chairman, Peter Dicks, was arrested on a Louisiana warrant in September in New York.
But Dicks was freed because New York law allows extradition only when the accused was physically present in the state where the alleged crime was committed.
Dicks could have been arrested had he set foot in Louisiana, but prosecutors did not expect that to happen any time soon.
“We were at the point where we couldn’t get them here,” St. Landry Parish District Attorney Earl Taylor said. “… We tried to do something to make them pay.”
Taylor said officials with Sportingbet approached his office about what could be done to resolve the pending legal case, which could have remained in limbo for several years.
“They wanted to get the arrest warrants dismissed,” Taylor said.
He said the $400,000 — delivered by check Tuesday morning — will be shared by his office, State Police and the state Attorney General’s Office.
State Police, working with St. Landry prosecutors, had secured warrants in May in an investigation that focused on Sportingbet PLC, a company that operates out of England, where online gambling is legal.
The company’s former chairman, Peter Dicks, was arrested on a Louisiana warrant in September in New York.
But Dicks was freed because New York law allows extradition only when the accused was physically present in the state where the alleged crime was committed.
Dicks could have been arrested had he set foot in Louisiana, but prosecutors did not expect that to happen any time soon.
“We were at the point where we couldn’t get them here,” St. Landry Parish District Attorney Earl Taylor said. “… We tried to do something to make them pay.”
Taylor said officials with Sportingbet approached his office about what could be done to resolve the pending legal case, which could have remained in limbo for several years.
“They wanted to get the arrest warrants dismissed,” Taylor said.
He said the $400,000 — delivered by check Tuesday morning — will be shared by his office, State Police and the state Attorney General’s Office.
