£21 million fraud probe linked to two Premier League football clubs

An arrest has been made of an online gambling firm linked to Harry Redknapp and two Premier League football clubs for over £21 million in fraud.

The director of 666Bet, Paul Bell was apparently under arrest at Heathrow airport last week. Bell supposedly was part of a dual money-laundering investigation by HM Revenue & Customs and the National Crime Agency.

A total of 13 properties were raided, six other people were arrested and £1 million in cash was also seized as part of the investigation related to fraud.

Last year the online firm had announced that deals with West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City were formed. They also signed former QPR manager Redknapp to show in its adverts, together with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor Vas Blackwood.

The Gambling Commission that regulates UK gambling suspended the firm’s licence last week.

Football League One side Leyton Orient, who signed a contract with the bookmakers in August last year terminated its deal for shirt sponsorship.

However it is still not known whether the two Premier League clubs will follow suit.

Mr Redknapp told the Independent on Sunday, exclaiming from Dubai,: ‘I just did an advert for them. I don’t know anything about it at all. Not a clue.’

Mr Bell who initially was a stock broker but now is an investor was arrested at Heathrow before being re-arrested the next day when he arrived by private jet at The Isle of Man.

The businessman, as stated by a source, who is an active part of the community in the Isle of Man, has ‘vigorously denied any wrongdoing’.

The probe has ‘nothing to do with the day-to-day running of 666Bet’, a spokesman for the firm said.

In an email to the Independent on Sunday, Neil Andrews, 666Bet’s head of brand, said: ‘I can categorically state the investigation does not relate to 666Bet’s activities in the gamin (sic) world.’

The firm’s website is currently offline. Its official Twitter account said the site is under maintenance ‘due to unforeseen circumstances’.