UK Online Gambling Exec Changes Plea in U.S.

One of the first casualties of the U.S. government's crackdown on online gambling, British online gambling executive, David Carruthers, has spent almost three years under house arrest in St Louis, Missouri, but that is set too change after recently withdrawing his guilty plea ahead of his sentencing.

The 52-year-old Scotsman who was the CEO and a board member of online sports betting operation, Betonsports Plc, was arrested by U.S. officials in July 2006 in Dallas, Texas, whilst in transit to his home in Costa Rica. He was detained on racketeering charges related to accepting wagers from U.S. citizens.

From then until now for the most part, Carruthers has been holed up in a hotel in St Louis under electronic surveillance, awaiting sentencing which is scheduled for tomorrow (Friday, October 2). However, the online gambling executive made headlines this week when he changed his guilty plea to a not guilty plea.

According to news reports, just days before a U.S. judge was set to decide the fate of Carruthers in a formal hearing, the former CEO's plea deal 'broke down'. In April of this year, he reportedly agreed to plead guilty as part of a deal with U.S. prosecutors in return for a recommended prison sentence of 33 months.

As a result of his sudden 'about face', late on Tuesday afternoon a motion to set aside defendant David Carruthers' guilty plea was granted, and a change of plea hearing was set for October 14. While there has been much speculation as to Carruthers' change of heart, up to now his reasons have remain undisclosed.