Betting site accused of cashing in on search
A betting firm have been accused of trying to cash in on the search for Corrie McKeague.
Gambling website TopTheLot. com have put up a £50,000 reward for information.
But concerns have been raised about promises to pledge an extra £2 to search and rescue charity SULSAR for each person who joins the site.
Registration is free – but many of the site’s instant-win games require players to top up their accounts with cash.
A source close to the hunt said: “Corrie’s disappearance being turned into a merchandising exercise is bad taste. It seems wrong that a gambling site is using him to widen its customer base.
“The reward is great but using his disappearance to pull in customers is wrong.”
TopTheLot.com are owned by Sovereign Group UK Ltd and run by Suffolk businessman Colin Davey, 52.
He has come to the attention of the authorities in the past after complaints about alleged gambling scams.
Trading Standards launched a probe in 2011 after complaints from customers.
Davey’s partner Leann Binns, principal licence holder for TopTheLot.com, said: “SULSAR are running out of money to continue searching for Corrie.
“That’s the reason we’re involved.
“For anyone that registers, we’re going to give another £2 to SULSAR. The £50,000 reward is completely separate.”
SULSAR chairman Andy King said last night he was surprised to hear about topthelot.com’s donation pledge.
He said: “If they are doing that in our name, I’m very interested because this is the first I’ve heard of it.”