Exclusive court documents have revealed explosive allegations that a close associate of Nigel Farage acted as a frontman for a multi-million pound gambling syndicate headed by Premier League billionaire Tony Bloom.
The Alleged Syndicate and Its 'Secret Exotic Accounts'
The details are contained in a 19-page High Court filing, part of an active legal dispute between Bloom, the majority shareholder and chair of Brighton & Hove Albion FC, and a former associate, Ryan Dudfield. Dudfield's lawyers claim he is owed a share of gambling profits estimated at around $250m (£189m).
The collective, known as the Starlizard Betting Syndicate, is alleged to make approximately £600m each year in winnings. According to the documents, it places bets through accounts held by frontmen, including "footballers, sportsmen and businessmen". These were referred to internally as "secret exotic accounts" and operated "in a secretive manner" from satellite offices in London's Canary Wharf.
The papers claim that George Cottrell, a key figure in Reform UK's inner circle and a close aide to Nigel Farage, was one such frontman. It is alleged he "gave control" of his online betting accounts to Bloom and the syndicate, allowing them to place bets directly without his involvement.
A 'Risk-Free' Deal for the Political Aide
The court filing paints a picture of a highly advantageous arrangement for Cottrell. It claims an agreement was reached where Cottrell would receive a 33% share of any wins, while any losses he incurred appeared to be covered by Bloom or the syndicate. This effectively allowed him to profit "risk free".
"Cottrell was not a particularly successful gambler, and frequently lost large sums of money," the documents state. This alleged lack of success is what reportedly led an "introducer" to connect him with Bloom's syndicate.
The bets were predominantly on football matches and were placed using Cottrell's accounts with Stake.com, an offshore casino where transactions are conducted in cryptocurrency. The document also references Cottrell's 2017 conviction for wire fraud in the US, for which he served several months in prison.
Dispute Over Profits and Hidden Activity
The legal case centres on Dudfield's claim that he is entitled to 7% of the syndicate's winnings—potentially $17.5m—based on a profit-share arrangement. He alleges that Cottrell and one of Bloom's key associates, Ian McAleavy, continued the syndicate's activities using Cottrell's accounts even after he was told the operation had ceased.
"In fact Mr McAleavy and Mr Cottrell both knew that the Syndicate was continuing to make use of Mr Cottrell’s betting accounts and they both knew that very significant profits had/could be made," the court papers claim.
Furthermore, the filing alleges Cottrell tried to procure UK clients for an offshore gambling site, Tether.bet, which does not hold a UK gambling licence. Lawyers for Cottrell have previously told the Guardian he had "no involvement" in any cryptocurrency companies.
The exact membership of the syndicate remains unclear, but the document suggests employees of the related Starlizard Consulting were given different levels of entry as part of their compensation.
Bloom, known in gambling circles by the moniker "The Lizard", has yet to file a defence to the claim. Lawyers acting for Cottrell were approached for comment by the Guardian. Bloom was contacted via Brighton & Hove Albion FC.
