Unibet Boss Still In Custody (Update)

Published: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Online-Casinos.com

UNIBET BOSS STILL IN CUSTODY (Update)

Awaiting transfer to France and hopefully a withdrawal of charges


Hopes that Petter Nylander, the CEO of Unibet detained at Schipol airport on a European warrant signed by a French judge (see previous Online-Casinos.com/InfoPowa reports) would be released following an international outcry faded today as arrangements went ahead for his transfer to France.

Earlier, statements by French spokesmen that the charges laid against him by French gambling monopolies for contravening 19th century laws should be withdrawn gave hope that the executive would be released immediately, but this has not transpired.

Instead, Nylander has been released from the airport holding facility to an Amsterdam hotel, where he has been able to consult with lawyers and speak with management at his company.

Ragnar Hellenius, chief financial officer and deputy CEO said: "I am very pleased to confirm that I have spoken to Petter over the phone. He is now together with our lawyers at a hotel in Amsterdam. Under the circumstances, we had of course wanted this process to be faster and that Petter had been transferred to Paris immediately. We take for granted that when Petter finally is on French soil, the judge will release him very soon without charge. Petter is obviously very tired and the detention has not been pleasant. He is still in the good mood and wants to be released in order for him to join his family."

Nylander lives in the UK, and was detained as he boarded a flight home from Amsterdam on Monday.

Ewout Keelers, legal counsel at Unibet, said Nylander's arrest was a political act. "To use an arrest warrant to protect a gambling monopoly is way beyond that which could be viewed as acceptable," he said.

Nylander's lawyer Dominique Santacru said the arrest had its real roots in a request the French government made to speak to him about the company's activities in the French market earlier this year.

In response, Nylander had suggested that such a hearing should be held in the UK as he did not want to be placed under arrest, a fate that had befallen former Unibet deputy chief executive Didier Dewyn in April of this year. The European arrest warrant was then issued by a judge in the Paris suburb of Nanterre as a result of Nylander's 'refusal' to attend the hearing.