Rishi Sunak’s former aide, Craig Williams, has admitted to engaging in gambling fraud related to bets on the timing of the 2024 general election. Williams, a former Tory MP for Montgomeryshire and Cardiff North, confessed to using confidential information to place bets on the election date. He entered a guilty plea during a court hearing at Southwark Crown Court, where it was revealed that he had wagered amounts of £250, £100, and £22.50 on the election date.
As a key member of Mr. Sunak’s inner circle and his parliamentary private secretary, Williams had access to sensitive information discussed during planning meetings at Downing Street leading up to the election. Following the scandal, Williams, who lost his seat in the election, acknowledged his wrongdoing and described it as a significant error in judgment.
Prosecutor Zoe Johnson KC disclosed that Williams would be sentenced for his admitted offense, with three additional cheating charges being dropped. Johnson highlighted that Williams, as a Privy Council member, abused his privileged position by using confidential information for personal gain through gambling activities.
Another individual involved in the fraudulent betting scheme, Amy Hind, the wife of Conservative deputy digital director Anthony Hind, also pleaded guilty to cheating on the election date. Hind attempted to place substantial bets on the election date, with unsuccessful attempts to wager large amounts on a July poll. Charges against her husband related to passing information for gambling purposes were dropped.
Hind is scheduled for sentencing on October 23 by Judge Tony Baumgartner, while Williams will await sentencing until after his co-defendants stand trial. During the court hearing, 12 co-defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of cheating at gambling in connection with bets placed on the 2024 election.