Another betting scandal has rocked the Premier League after a report revealed Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom is accused of using a £600 million gambling syndicate to bet on football matches.

It’s also alleged that Bloom has a deal in place with Reform leader Nigel Farage’s former aide, George Cottrell, to place bets through offshore gaming accounts.

Bloom is one of the most highly regarded chairmen in the English game, whose work at The Amex has earned major plaudits. He has served as the Seagulls’ chairman since 2009 and is a longtime supporter of the club.

The claim was filed at London’s High Court and details of the allegations have come to light via a report from The Times and former Starlizard employee Ryan Dudfield. The betting advisory company is said to consist of over 100 members and Bloom and his syndicate invite others to join while placing bets.

Dudfield alleges that they are owed £17.5 million in profits made, and he claims to have introduced Cottrell to the syndicate. The latter, Farage’s former aide, was described as a ‘whale’, meaning he fronts the syndicate to place bets.

Bloom and the syndicate are also alleged to have placed their bets through ‘secret exotic accounts’. It’s also claimed that the Brighton chairman used betting accounts of ‘well-known footballers, sportsmen and businessmen’, but The Times reports that no former footballers are involved.

The FA and a ‘prominent accounting firm’ are said to screen every bet made by Bloom, and he’s yet to breach the agreement. He has a net worth of £1.3 billion and is one of the members of the syndicate being sued by Dudfield.