Alleged ‘5Dimes Tony’ Kidnapper in Police Custody

It’s the case that captivated the world of online gambling since last September. The mysterious disappearance of a betting boss, complete with allegations of kidnapping, ransom notes and even, tragically, his suspected murder.

Now, police involved in the case think they’ve got their man. After a multi-jurisdictional investigation spanning several months, authorities are now suggesting they might be closer to finding out what happened to 5Dimes Tony and who was responsible for it.

A man has been arrested in connection with the kidnap and murder of William Sean ‘Tony’ Creighton, founder of the sportsbook 5Dimes, who went missing in September of last year.

Following an investigation that saw authorities arresting some 12 different people across two different countries, police are now confident they have captured the ‘mastermind’ behind the high profile murder.

It’s a story that has captivated the gambling world for months, traversing both Spain and Costa Rica. as authorities raided at total of 11 different locations in search of those alleged to be responsible for his disappearance.

Tony Creighton was last seen on September 24, after leaving his firm’s offices in San Jose. His car was later found crashed into a gate several miles away, with no one since able to track down his whereabouts.

Several weeks later, police in Costa Rica confirmed they had found a body believed to be Creighton, though this was never formally confirmed, leading to further speculation over what might have happened to the former 5Dimes boss.

Director of the OIJ in Costa Rica, Walter Espinoza, said their investigations were led by a trail of cryptocurrency payments sent as ransoms following messages to Creighton’s wife after his disappearance.

This led investigators to the 11 separate locations involved in their search, and ultimately to the individuals arrested in connection with the case.

According to reports, Creighton’s wife had sent in the region of $750,000-$1,000,000 in bitcoin to meet the ransom demands sent to her – though those efforts now seem to have been in vain.

Espinoza said the authorities thought that the mastermind was amongst those arrested by Spanish authorities, working alongside the Costa Rican authorities in the cross-border investigation. The Spanish suspects had been under surveillance for a period of weeks following initial suspicions in the run up to their arrests.

5Dimes continues to operate, with the firm putting out a public statement to say they would carry on with the same fundamental model as before. However, the case has attracted a significant media profile in both Costa Rica and Spain, as well as internationally, as the mystery unravels.

For the time being, it remains unclear whether police can confirm Creighton was in fact murdered, though it is notable that the authorities continue to discuss the case in those terms. With suspects now in custody, it remains to be seen whether this results in a charge, and who and how many of those in custody are labelled as being involved.

In any circumstance, the case is a tragedy affecting a far wider circle than Creighton’s immediate family. As the authorities continue to work to identify the persons responsible, and to find some closure for Creighton and the case, the hope for justice remains.