Founder of Betonsports arrested

On Wednesday 28th March, the founder of London-based gaming website Betonsports, Stephen Kaplan was arrested in the Dominican Republic and sent to the US to answer criminal charges, US officials have said.

In June, Mr. Kaplan was one of 11 people indicted on charges of racketeering, fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy.

Betonsports closed down its US operations in August 2006. The US had been the group’s biggest market, delivering around 95% of its profits.

Following his arrest at a hotel in Santo Domingo, Mr. Kaplan was sent by Dominican authorities to Puerto Rico for an initial appearance before a US magistrate.

Authorities have asked that Mr. Kaplan be moved to St Louis immediately or be held in custody pending a hearing to remove him to St Louis, to answer the charges against him.

Mr. Kaplan is the second person to be arrested in the investigation against Betonsports.

In July last year the company’s then chief executive David Carruthers was detained while changing planes in the US.

He was later sacked by the company, which subsequently decided to shut down its US business. He has been held under house arrest in St Louis since August.

This latest arrest comes as the World Trade Organisation ruled against America’s online gaming ban.