The CEO of a company suspected of running two casinos in Moscow is in a critical condition according to his lawyer. The Moscow Times reports that the 43-year-old Darren Keane, who is the CEO of Storm International, is being denied the medication that he needs for the thrombosis that he suffers from. His lawyer Viktoria Vasilyeva explained Keane “could die at any moment.”
Keane finds himself in the pre-trial gulag after being accused of allowing two Storm casinos to operate in the city even though the practice was banned in July 2009. Charged with illegal business activities, Keane has been in custody since his arrest by Federal Security Service (FSB) agents on June 22.
The accused arrived in Russia in 1997, according to a biography on Storm International’s homepage. Three years after arriving, he became the general manager of a Moscow casino, the Shangri La. He then became CEO of the company back in September 2008.
Russia’s stance towards the gambling industry has become more and more aggressive as time has gone on. Companies are now only able to operate casinos in designated zones away from major cities. If found operating within cities like Moscow, firms can face substantial fines and prison terms of up to five years.
An anonymous statement from the British embassy read, “Consular staff are in contact with the British national and their next of kin and providing consular assistance.”
The case came after the FSB raided a number of premisies back in April of which one was the aforementioned Shangri-La. “Working roulette tables” were uncovered according to Rosbalt.ru and this would seem to be where the prosecution against Keane materialized from.
