Paradise Poker / Sportingbet plc has asked for the temporary suspension of its shares on the London stock exchange following the detention in the United States of non-executive chairman Peter Dicks (64).
Sportingbet issued the following statement:
Following the announcement made yesterday regarding the detention of Mr Peter Dicks, the Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Sportingbet Plc, the Board provides the following update and confirmation:
Mr Dicks was detained at JFK Airport, New York, by officers of the Port Authority of New York, whilst traveling from London to the US on non-Sportingbet related business. Mr Dicks has since attended a hearing in New York City. At this hearing he was served with a warrant for his arrest initiated by the Louisiana State Police for the alleged violation of Louisiana State laws relating to gambling by computer (LA R.S. 14:90.3(E), Gambling by Computer).
The charge is leveled against Mr Dicks by name and a further hearing is expected next week.
The Group itself has not received correspondence from any US authority regarding this or any related matter. The Company is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to operate as normal.
Further information will be issued in due course.
Update I: Bloombergs reports that detained Sportingbet plc
chairman Peter Dicks was yesterday free to leave the Rikers Island
prison in New York where he has been detained for the past two nights
on a Louisiana warrant of arrest for "computer gambling".
The British businessman, who was arrested Wednesday night at JFK airport
on his way to board meetings in New York unrelated to online gambling,
was granted $50 000 bail in a New York court while he fights extradition
to Louisiana on criminal allegations of illegal Internet gambling.
Dicks had to surrender his passport and must remain in New York city
until his extradition hearing, set for September 14 can be heard.
Update II: Bloomberg's business news service reports that
the non-executive chairman of Sportingbet plc, Peter Dicks, resigned
following his detention in the U.S. last week on a covert warrant
for 'gambling by computer' offences allegedly committed in the state
of Louisiana.
Separately, a New York state judge today (Thursday) postponed consideration
of a request by Louisiana state police to extradite Dicks to that
state on the charges. Judge Gene Lopez set a new hearing date of September
28 and gave Dicks permission to leave the country in the meantime,
returning his passport and driver's license.