Anthony Lee, the Conservative Party's former director of campaigning, has admitted to cheating at gambling by placing bets on the date of the 2024 general election. Lee, 49, also pleaded guilty to passing confidential information to his wife, Laura Lee, 38, which she used to place her own bets.
The couple are among 15 individuals charged in an investigation by the Gambling Commission. Both appeared at Southwark Crown Court via videolink, where they admitted their offenses. Lee's wife, who was a Conservative candidate for Bristol North West in the 2024 election and had served as head of international at Conservative Party HQ, admitted to cheating in gambling by placing bets based on the confidential information between March 10, 2024, and May 21, 2024. They are scheduled to be sentenced on October 23.
This case follows similar admissions from other individuals connected to the Conservative Party. In June, former Tory MP Craig Williams, 41, who served as Rishi Sunak's parliamentary private secretary and MP for Montgomeryshire, admitted to placing bets on the 2024 General Election date using confidential information. Prosecutors stated Williams placed bets totaling £372.50 on the election date. While Williams denies three further cheating charges, these are expected to be dropped at his sentencing.
Another individual, Amy Hind, 35, whose husband Anthony Hind was a former deputy digital director for the Conservative Party, also previously pleaded guilty to cheating at gambling. She placed several bets on the election date and attempted to place larger stakes on a July poll before successfully betting £100 on a July election at odds of 11-1. The prosecution will not proceed with a charge against her husband. Mrs. Hind is also due for sentencing on October 23.
Twelve other defendants have denied the allegations. These include former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 56, who was part of Sunak’s Metropolitan Police close protection team. The other defendants who have denied cheating at gambling are Charlotte Lang, 37; Thomas James, 39; Russell George, 52; Simon Chatfield, 52; Iain Makepeace, 48; Nicholas Mason, 52; Paul Place, 55; James Ward, 41; and Jacob Willmer, 40. The first trial for these defendants is scheduled to begin on September 6, 2027. All defendants are currently on unconditional bail.