Crew of British Bonus Hunters Accused of Abusing bet365 Bonuses

According to the prosecution, the group exploited bet365’s welcome bonuses by transferring the money to third-party accounts. The alleged scheme continued for around 2.5 years, from January 2021 to August 2023.

Hearings in a fraud case involving bet365 took place at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court.

Defendants Are Facing Major Prison Time

Prosecutors consider 35-year-old Giuseppe Sangiovanni to be the alleged organiser. He is accused of possessing personal data, misleading bet365 into claiming bonuses, and transferring criminally obtained funds.

Patrick White, 31, faces fraud and criminal property charges. He was granted bail and will appear at Gloucester Crown Court in September. Julian Mackie, 32, had his hearing postponed due to technical issues with the video link. A warrant was issued for 33-year-old Adon Bridgman-Simon after he failed to attend court without explanation.

Stephianne Black, 31, faces allegations of supplying primary account numbers for fraudulent use and obtaining introductory betting credit on Sangiovanni’s behalf. She was granted bail and will appear before Gloucester Crown Court on 17 September. Benjamin Leach, 32, and Simeon Redway, 35, also face fraud accusations.

The most serious charges could result in 5–14 years in prison.

Rogue Bonus Hunting Goes Mainstream

The case bears similarities to another UK case from 2023, when John Howard was sentenced to 5 years in prison for a scheme involving more than 1,000 bet365 accounts opened using other people’s names. The scheme generated around £236,000 in bonuses.

A similar bonus-related scheme has also been reported recently in Greece. Police have broken up an alleged bonus-hunting operation involving 43 conspirators. Investigators believe the suspects exploited welcome offers from licensed bookmakers for years, generating more than €1.5 million in illicit profits.