The chairman of British online gambling company Sportingbet PLC, who was
arrested last week after New York customs officials discovered his name on a
Louisiana warrant charging him with illegal online gambling, resigned on
Thursday, the company said. “Further to its recent announcements regarding
Mr. Peter Dicks, Sportingbet confirms that, with great reluctance … the
Board accepted the resignation of Mr. Dicks as Independent Non-executive
Chairman of Sportingbet with immediate effect,” the company said in a
statement posted on its Web site.Dicks appeared in state Criminal Court in
Queens on Thursday, when Judge Gene Lopez adjourned his case until Sept. 28.
The court appearance came a day after New York Gov. George Pataki received a
formal request from Dicks and his attorney, Barry Slotnick, to withdraw a
warrant the governor had signed that would allow Dicks’ extradition to
Louisiana.Slotnick said he and his client argued that Louisiana’s request
for extradition “is inappropriate and that Peter Dicks has not committed any
crimes there or anywhere. He hasn’t been in Louisiana for 20 years.”
On Thursday in court, Dicks was informed that the governor had withdrawn the
warrant. Restrictions on Dicks’ $50,000 bail that barred him from leaving
New York also were lifted.
“There is nothing pending in terms of any accusations against Dicks in the
state of New York,” Slotnick told The Associated Press, adding that Dicks
was now free to travel back to London, where he lives.
A Pataki spokeswoman, Jessica Scaperotti, said the governor’s decision was
made in consultation with prosecutors in Louisiana and New York. “The
decision was made to withdraw the extra warrant pending legal review of the
arguments raised by Mr. Dick’s attorneys,” she said.
When he’s back in court later this month, Slotnick said, “it’s our hope that
the (Louisiana) warrant at that time will be totally withdrawn.”
Slotnick said Dicks is appearing in court New York on Sept. 28 only “because
Louisiana is requesting his presence. But the only one who can order him to
Louisiana is Gov. Pataki.”
Dicks was arrested at New York’s Kennedy International Airport on Sept. 6
following his arrival on a flight from England. Customs, performing a
routine name check, discovered he had an outstanding warrant issued by the
Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division.
Last Friday, after his New York arrest, acting Justice John Latella released
him on $50,000 bail but ordered him to surrender his passport and stay in
the New York metropolitan area during the extradition process.
The Louisiana warrant was issued in May, charging Dicks with gambling by
computer, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $25,000
fine.
Louisiana authorities want to bring Dicks back to stand trial in St. Landry
Parish, where the warrant for his arrest was signed.
Dicks, 64, is the second executive of a British Internet sports-betting
company to be held in the U.S.
David Carruthers, former chief executive officer of BetOnSports PLC, was
arrested in July. The company fired Carruthers, who remains under house
arrest in the St. Louis area awaiting trial, and closed its U.S. Web sites.
The founder of Abingdon PLC, a private equity firm, Dicks is also a director
at Nasdaq-listed Polar Technology Trust PLC and Standard Microsystems Corp.
He has been non-executive director at Sportingbet since 2000.
Sportingbet shares soared more than 25 percent to close at 192 pence ($3.60)
on the London Stock Exchange. The stock had fallen sharply after Dicks was
detained.
