Published on: January 26, 2026, at 02:39h.
Updated on: January 26, 2026, at 02:39h.
- Bloom acknowledges StarLizard utilized bets through George Cottrell, an aide to Farage.
- Former employee Ryan Dudfield initiates a lawsuit, claiming entitlement to 7% of profit shares.
- Bloom asserts Dudfield withdrew his earnings in 2022 and reached a settlement.
Tony Bloom, an esteemed poker player, sports bettor, and owner of an English Premier League club, has confirmed that his betting group, StarLizard, executed substantial bets via a proxy account owned by George Cottrell. This account was linked to Cottrell, who has a history of fraud and served as an aide to Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK’s right-leaning Reform Party.
Bloom refutes claims that he owes £13.1 million (around US$17.5 million) to Ryan Dudfield, a past employee of StarLizard, who filed a lawsuit against the billionaire in London’s High Court in December 2025.
Dudfield argues he is entitled to 7% of the profits accrued from wagers placed via George Cottrell’s accounts. The lawsuit outlines that under the agreed terms, 60% of the profits were allocated to the syndicate, 33% to Cottrell, and 7% to Dudfield.
Nuisance Payment
In a recent court document, Bloom acknowledged the existence of the profit-sharing agreement, but insisted that Dudfield received a £60K (approximately US$82K) “nuisance payment” in July 2023 after he “cashed out” his stake in December 2022.
“The outcome of the July 2023 agreement was to resolve any and all claims that the claimant might have against Mr. Bloom and thereby fulfilled the claims addressed in this case. The current proceedings are also initiated in breach of the non-litigation agreement,” the legal filing stated.
This case provides a rare and intriguing insight into the operations of StarLizard, renowned as one of the most successful yet enigmatic betting syndicates globally—so effective that it enabled Bloom to acquire Brighton and Hove Albion, the football club he has supported since childhood.
The case reveals how StarLizard employs affluent frontmen who have the image of being unsuccessful gamblers to place bets, including “footballers, athletes, and entrepreneurs,” as cited in Dudfield’s lawsuit.
Since sportsbooks typically avoid taking bets from successful gamblers, these affluent “losers” serve as ideal proxies for Bloom’s syndicate, making their betting accounts invaluable.
Cottrell entered the picture as the affluent grandson of a British baronet, notorious for allegedly losing $20 million at poker in one night, and was introduced to StarLizard by Dudfield in exchange for a share of the winnings.
Exclusive Accounts
After serving eight months in a US prison for wire fraud due to an FBI operation where he offered money-laundering services on the dark web, Cottrell became an indispensable asset for StarLizard.
Inside the syndicate, accounts like Cottrell’s are considered extremely valuable, referred to as “secret exotic accounts,” and are meticulously managed from their offices based in Canary Wharf, London.
Bloom’s defense argues that betting through Cottrell persisted until October 2025, accruing an additional $2.4 million. However, they contend that Dudfield lost any claim after cashing out in 2022, asserting that any dues would be Cottrell’s responsibility, not Bloom’s, as per the legal filing.