Rory Campbell, the 37-year-old son of Alastair Campbell (Tony Blair's former chief spin doctor), faces potential criminal inquiry over his collapsed sports betting syndicate, with investors seeking answers about more than £5 million in missing funds.

Campbell informed investors about the syndicate's collapse roughly two weeks ago, claiming Asian sportsbooks failed to pay out winnings. However, one investor revealed on the Racing Room betting podcast that Campbell's main bet placer allegedly hadn't received payments since January, despite Campbell waiting until mid-July to inform investors about potential risks.

The investors, far from being inexperienced gamblers, included prominent industry figures such as:

• A former Racing Post executive
• A British Horseracing Authority official
• A television racing presenter
• Alastair Campbell himself (who invested £300,000)

Investors expected a 4% return at the end of the soccer season in May. When this failed to materialize, Campbell assured them there was "no hole" in the fund and promised full payment by July's end.

Settlement negotiations broke down on Friday, with one investor filing a lawsuit in London county court to recover £266,000. Others threaten to report Campbell to the Serious Fraud Office unless he provides clear explanations about the missing funds.

Racing Room podcast co-presenter Anthony Kaminskas shared an anonymous investor's message highlighting that Campbell's syndicate:

• Was profitable for seven of the last eight years
• Used multiple bookmakers and agents for optimal pricing
• Couldn't logically lose all funds through unpaid Asian bookmakers
• Has provided no proof of claimed unpaid winnings despite six months of investor inquiries

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