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Anthony Lee, the former director of campaigning for the Conservative Party, along with his wife, has admitted guilt to charges related to gambling fraud involving bets on the date of the 2024 general election. According to the Gambling Commission, Anthony Lee placed over 60 successful bets amounting to £1,549, which could have earned him nearly £15,000 in winnings. The key to his success was passing on confidential information about the election timing, specifically when then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak intended to call the election, to his wife.
Laura Lee, who was a parliamentary candidate at that time, also made successful wagers. She placed eight winning bets totaling £535 and stood to gain roughly £5,000 from this insider knowledge. Both Anthony and Laura Lee appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday, where Anthony pleaded guilty to two offenses and Laura to one. Their sentencing has been scheduled for October.
Separate from the Lees, trials involving ten other defendants connected to the scandal are planned for September 2027 and January 2028. Among those involved is former MP Craig Williams, who was Prime Minister Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide during the period in question. Williams pleaded guilty in June and his sentencing will take place later. Prosecutors revealed that Williams placed bets of £250, £100, and £22.50 on the 2024 election date, admitting to the court that he “used highly sensitive and confidential information.”
The timing of the election itself caught many, including numerous Conservative MPs, by surprise, as they had anticipated a poll in the autumn. When the scandal first surfaced in June 2024, Williams acknowledged he had made a “huge error of judgment.” The Conservative Party has been contacted for comment on the matter
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