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Gambling911.com was advised Thursday that concerned friends and family members of Sean "Tony" Creighton back in the States are planning to reach out to the US Embassy in Costa Rica to demand investigators in that Central American nation be more forthcoming as to the disappearance and reported death of the 5Dimes.com Sportsbook founder.
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The 43-year-old Creighton, of Bridgeport, West Virginia, was reported missing and presumed kidnapped on September 24 after reports that his wife had received a ransom call and paid $750,000. She claims the kidnappers placed her husband on the phone as "proof of life" but has not heard from him since. Creighton's wife also hired two private investigators from the States. A vehicle belonging to the 5Dimes owner has since been recovered.
Sources close to Gambling911.com who know the wife tell us she "would be incapable of harming Sean".
Late Saturday, the Costa Rica Star reported his body had been found, but since that time a gag order was placed on those involved in the investigation. Gambling911.com confirmed late Wednesday that no coroner in the San Jose region had been in receipt of Sean's body.
"I'm ready to go down there myself and find out what is going on," a friend of Creighton's tells Gambling911.com. This person, who wished not to be identified, has been tasked with providing the latest information on the case to Sean's many friends and extended family members back home in Bridgeport.
Gambling911.com confirmed that Creighton did have dual citizenship from both Costa Rica and the United States at the time of his disappearance. While considered an expat, the 5Dimes founder owned property in Morgantown, West Virginia up until two years ago and frequently traveled back to the US to visit his parents, both of whom are now deceased. Proceeds from the sale of the home went to his former girlfriend.
Creighton was forced to sell the home following a money laundering investigation tied to Amazon gift cards that concluded two years ago. In a bizarre twist, investigators were able to determine Creighton's true identity after reading his mother's obituary.
"Regardless, he is still a US citizen and the Embassy in Costa Rica should be able to assist with more information," the friend tells Gambling911.com
This individual plans to communicate with the Embassy along with a female relative of Creighton's, though they are still in discussions regarding the process for doing so.
5Dimes continues to pay out in a timely fashion and remains an A+ book on the grading website SportsBookReview.com. That site, which is based nearby the 5Dimes office, is awaiting verification from the Costa Rican government that Creighton's body was found before posting an update or potential grade change.
A source with intimate knowledge of the investigation stated: "I have never seen anything like this before".
Because Creighton was in trouble with US law enforcement, some speculate that he faked his own death and that high ranking government officials assisted with such a plot. This theory seems highly unlikely considering Costa Rica has yet to extradite indicted online sportsbook or casino personnel.
Bodog founder Calvin Ayre last year settled with the US Government by paying a small fine and served a brief probational period.
A founder of Galaxy Sports indicted 20 years ago and on the run up until recently returned to the States, was placed in prison overnight and released with a slap on the wrist.
Creighton has never been in trouble with the law and was known to still pay federal income taxes to the US Goverment up until a few years ago.
And what about legalized sports betting in the US cutting into the revenue stream of offshore books?
"Business has never been better," one operator tells Gambling911.com. "We have more than doubled our business this football season."
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
