Unibet CEO Arrested

[satchmo]

Source e24.se

The european arrest order that France used to get Petter Nylander arrested, was founded shortly after the 9-11 incident. The European nations
purpose with the new law, was to fight terroism, and heavy criminality.
Swedens Statsminister (Primeminister, president, dictator, call him what you want, but i wont like him anyway). was involved in the making of the arresting order taking form. That it was used in the way it was against Petter, wasnt obvious at the moment, Fredrick Reinfeldt says.

Of course the Swedish goverment is following the this, but explains also that the juridical proccess must have it's ordinary walkabout.



See it's not only the Us president who is trying to rule the world, and having an iq way below the average.


Satchmo the man the myth the working class hero....
Frakk im really tired, for some reason....

[jetset]

UNIBET CHIEF TRAVELS TO FRANCE WEDNESDAY

Nylander remains confined to Holland but not in detention

Hopes that Petter Nylander, the CEO of Unibet arrested on a French European warrant at Schipol Airport last week, would be able to travel to France and secure his release immediately after the weekend have been dashed by the news that he will now not appear before the French judge who issued the warrant until Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the French gambling monopoly Française des Jeux says Nylander was arrested for refusing to attend an interview requested by French authorities to question him regarding charges laid last year under a 19th century protectionist law by FDJ.

In a statement issued late last week, Francaise des Jeux (FDJ) said the arrest of Unibet chief executive Petter Nylander came as “a result of his refusal to attend an interview request by the French authorities”.

Ragnar Hellenius, the acting CEO of Unibet, says that Nylander will be transferred to Paris on Wednesday. “This is a very complicated legal process and we will of course follow the instructions from the authorities," Hellenius added. "We take for granted that when Petter is finally on French soil on Wednesday, the judge will release him. For us, Petter’s release is most important and we are working with the authorities to facilitate this process.”

His comment follows statements from French government officials last week that FDJ would be asked to drop the charges.

France is also expected to submit its regulatory proposals on online gaming to the European Commission by Wednesday, which will be considered to determine whether these are proportionate and non-discriminatory and comply with European Union trade regulations.

The French monopoly claimed in its statement that had Nylander “presented himself when he was asked to, of course the judge would not have issued an arrest warrant against him.” FDJ spokesmen explained that “....once it is engaged, the public prosecution against Unibet is no longer dependent on the complainant.”

[jetset]

UNIBET EXEC SLAMS FRANCAISE DES JEUX

French gaming monopoly hypocritical in explaining its involvement in Nylander arrest

With Unibet CEO Petter Nylander due to appear before a French judge today (Wednesday) following his arrest at Schipol airport last week, an official of the online gambling company came out with guns blazing against the actions of French gambling monopoly Francaise des Jeux, which instigated the circumstances leading to Nylander's arrest.

Western Europe manager for Unibet, Christophe Dhaisne, said that Francaise des Jeux has acted in a “hypocritical” manner in the issue.

Dhaisne was responding to a statement late last week from FdJ (see previous InfoPowa report) that the arrest of Petter Nylander was the result of the Unibet chief executive’s refusal to attend the original interview request made by the French authorities.

Dhaisne said: “The statement by Francaise des Jeux smacks of hypocrisy and is a public relations exercise. To claim that it is somehow the helpless victim of everything that has happened when it has been enforcing its monopoly status in France is the height of hypocrisy to say the least.”

The FdJ could not shed its responsibility for the part it played in Nylander’s arrest, because the complaint it made against Mr Bookmaker in 2003 is at the root of the Nylander arrest warrant, issued by a French judge, the Unibet manager added.

“The complaint comes from FdJ and [fellow monopolist] PMU and in the meantime Petter is the one who has had to spend two nights in detention," Dhaisne said. "The timing of the arrest is not good and has created political waves. From what we are hearing and in the current political context, Petter should be released once he has appeared before the judge, but of course you never know so we will have to wait to be sure.”

French government officials are currently trying to placate the European Commission by negotiating concessions in what was formerly a hard line and monopolistic approach to gambling in the country. The complaint against Mr. Bookmaker was based on 19th century protectionist French laws.

[jetset]

ONLINE GAMBLING CHIEF RELEASED

Nylander freed on Euro 200 000 - may have to return for further examination

Petter Nylander, the CEO of online gambling group Unibet detained at Schipol airport last week on a French-inspired European arrest warrant is free - but he may be called back to France for further investigations, and it is at the cost of Euro 200 000 bail.

Nylander was transported from Holland to Nanterre in France after telling the Dutch authorities he had no problem with the extradition. He was subsequently released on bail after a late evening appearance before a French judge, and after being informed that he may be required to return to France to face charges of illegal gambling operations and advertising under French protectionist laws. If convicted, the penalty could be three years jail time.

Back in London, Nylander told reporters: "In the coming weeks and months there will be more questions from the French," adding the firm had no indication how long the whole process would take or whether it would go to court.

"At first I thought it was a bad joke or a bachelor party or whatever so I was laughing and trying to crack some jokes with the policeman but he didn't really laugh," said Nylander, who lives in Britain.

"Then I said okay this is serious and they said you are going to be taken to France and showed me papers that said 2 or 3 years in prison and I thought, this like a very bad movie."

Nylander said the firm would continue to take bets from French punters despite the troubles and did not expect the issues to put off gamblers.

Unibet's legal council Ewout Keuleers said the firm would "probably" appeal the validity of the investigation, employing tactics used by Austrian-listed rival Bwin which is facing similar charges. "Once our French lawyers have seen the case and we have put together a framework for our defence then we will decide for sure," said Keuleers.

The French judge who issued the warrant was acting on a complaint by French lottery monopoly Francaise des Jeux and horserace-betting monopoly PMU that Unibet breached 19th-century laws protecting state-owned monopolies (see previous InfoPowa reports).

Nylander's detention drew criticism from the European Commission, which is putting pressure on France to liberalise its tightly controlled betting market.

In a statement issued by Unibet, Nylander subsequently said: “Unibet, the company that I run, has always abided by the law. We are transparent and we promote the concept of responsible gaming.

"Our company is European; we are listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange, and audited on a regular basis. The fact that there are numerous legal proceedings ongoing against responsible operators such as Unibet doesn’t make sense at a time when the French government has publicly referred to the opening of its online gaming market.

"Such proceedings serve only one purpose - the commercial interests of France’s two State-owned monopolies. There is an urgent need for reform of this market where these monopoly operators’ actions are in complete disregard of EU Treaties and the interests of French players.

"It is Unibet’s strong belief that the French consumer should have a choice regarding online betting and gaming, with specific regulation. France has everything to gain from the controlled opening of its market, and La Française des Jeux, the PMU and French casino operators alike have an opportunity to be co-leaders together with private operators in the European online gaming market”.

[jetset]

NYLANDER LAYS INTO THE FRENCH OVER ONLINE GAMBLING ACCUSATIONS (Update)

Laws under which he is being investigated for illegal activities are "obsolete," says newly released Unibet exec

Out on Euro 200 000 bail after a late evening appearance before a French judge on illegal gambling and advertising charges (see previous InfoPowa reports) Unibet CEO Petter Nylander wasted no time in slamming the actions of French gambling monopolies Francaise des Jeux and PMU in instigating his arrest last week at a Dutch airport....and in criticising the French laws involved.

Nylander called for an end to the French state's gaming monopoly, attacking the laws under which he is being investigated for illegal activities as "obsolete."

Speaking in London where he lives, the 43-year-old Swede said the case against him and Unibet was harassment and indicative of anti-competitive protectionism on the part of France's state-owned gambling firms.

"The laws that are used against me in France are from 1836 and 1891 ... before the European Union was created, before the Internet was created," he told a news conference. "Those national laws are obsolete. In the last 20 years, we've seen several European monopolies being transformed from strict tough state monopolies to open competition.

"You can take the airline industry, the broadcast industry, telecom sector, to the benefit of the European consumers. This is just another monopoly going down, painfully.

"However, I'm not aware of a monopoly going down throwing competitors into prison. We need to stop this harrassment of companies.

"We need to create a modern form of a gaming industry, to find a way for responsible companies like Unibet and others to work and be non discriminated compared to state companies in Europe."

The online gambling executive insisted French law did not apply to Unibet.

"We have no office in France, people use the Internet. How can it be illegal?" he said.

French monopoly laws date from the 19th century and protect French gambling operators Francaise des Jeux and horse-racing betting group PMU.

Unibet is registered in Malta, operated out of Britain and listed on the Stockholm stock exchange. It claims to have 1.8 million customers in 150 countries.

In French law, being placed under judicial investigation is one step short of being formally charged and does not necessarily mean Nylander is heading for trial, although he has been warned that he may have to return to France for further investigation....and there's that Euro 200 000 bail.....