Austrian gaming boss charged with misappropriating €800,000 in winnings

The Austrian director of an iGaming company has been released on bail after he was charged with the misappropriation of €800,000 from players and not paying a sum in the region of €100,000 in licences and fees.

Jean Pavili, allegedly the ultimate beneficial owner of Everleaf Gaming Limited and Gold Man Gaming Limited, was brought before Magistrate Josette Demicoli under arrest and pleaded not guilty to charges of misappropriation.

He also pleaded not guilty to charges of failing to pay his gaming license and tax, failing to notify the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of the relocation of the control system, failing to deposit winnings and failing to disclose all ultimate beneficiaries, to ensure that all are fit and proper.

Magistrate Demicoli granted him bail against a deposit of €10,000 and personal guarantee of €10,000 and ordered €900,000 of his assets, both in Malta and abroad, be frozen.

Lawyer Giannella de Marco, represented Pavili. Police Inspector Daniel Zammit prosecuted.

Another Everleaf director, Michael Zwi Oros, 33, from Sweden, has also pleaded not guilty to misappropriation, failing to pay his gaming licence and tax, failing to notify the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of the relocation of the control system, failing to deposit winnings and failing to disclose all ultimate beneficiaries, to ensure that all are fit and proper.

The Lotteries and Gaming Authority suspended the company’s gaming licences with effect from July 2013. Everleaf was ordered not to register new players, accept new deposits or offer any games. The regulator said Everleaf pulled out of the US market in February 2012 following the seizure of $27,000 from a payment processor.

LGA chairman Joseph Cuschieri had said that the authority's key objective is to recover the funds owed to the players. "We are committed to ensure that player funds are protected at all times and, to this effect, the LGA will be taking concrete measures to strengthen its player protection mechanisms well beyond the benchmarks in Europe and other jurisdictions,” Cuschieri said.