Carruthers is finally released from jail

David Carruthers, the former chief executive of BetOnSports, was released on bail of USD 1 million (GBP 530,000) by an American judge yesterday after a month in custody.

The Scot, who faces charges ranging from racketeering to fraud and conspiracy, was arrested on July 16 by FBI and revenue service agents as he was passing through Dallas-Fort Worth airport in transit from London to the group’s headquarters in Costa Rica.

Mr Carruthers was detained in a medium-security federal prison in Fort Worth. When he attended a bail hearing five days later, he was shackled and chained to a line of prisoners.

On the advice of his lawyers, he waived his right to bail, asking to have the decision made in East Missouri, where the charges against him — and ten other individuals and BetOnSports itself — had been filed.

Since going to St Louis, Mr Carruthers, sacked by BetOnSports which he had run for six years, has spent most of his time in a county jail, emerging only to attend court to plead not guilty to all charges and put in a request to be freed on bail.

Raising the USD 1 million bond and meeting the conditions set by the judge proved difficult, but last night Mr Carruthers was able to sleep in a hotel room in the St Louis suburb of Clayton. He will be allowed to leave the hotel only to attend court, meet his attorney or for medical emergencies.