【Casinos】Arrest warrant issued for former Mansion CEO Karel Mañasco

According to GBC News, the 44-year-old did not attend proceedings in Gibraltar scheduled for last week, prompting Chief Justice Anthony Dudley to issue the warrant following the rejection of an application from Mañasco seeking the judge’s recusal.

Mañasco, who previously held the dual roles of CEO and CFO at the online gaming firm, has been found guilty of multiple breaches of a worldwide freezing order (WFO), as well as of submitting a false affidavit to the court.

The contempt proceedings are part of a broader legal battle between Mañasco and his former employer, Mansion Group, which accuses him of misappropriating approximately £5m of company funds — an allegation he denies.

Contempt of court

In March, the Gibraltar Supreme Court found Mañasco guilty on several contempt applications brought by Mansion Group in August 2023 and June 2024.

Among the breaches cited by the court, Mañasco was found to have exceeded court-imposed personal spending limits. He also knowingly submitted a false affidavit that understated his actual expenses.

Additionally, he was found to have breached the freezing order by transferring funds into his wife’s bank account in Spain, and to have used accounts not approved by the court.

Chief Justice Dudley rejected Mañasco’s explanations, including claims of misunderstanding the terms of the court order or attributing the spending to his wife.

Sentencing was originally scheduled for 9 April, and in March the judge highlighted that Mañasco “should be aware that breaches such as those committed by him, will normally attract an immediate custodial sentence.”

Sentencing has now been pushed to 14 May following Mañasco’s failure to appear in court.

Meanwhile, the GBC reported that Mañasco — through his lawyer — filed an application to have Chief Justice Dudley recused from the case, alleging judicial bias.

In a broader claim, he also accused Mansion Group, Gibraltar-based law firm Isolas, former minister Albert Isola, and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority of collusion and of targeting him in retaliation for alleged whistleblowing against “illegal activities” of the Mansion Group.

According to the GBC, the judge dismissed the recusal application, saying that while it would be “the easy option” to step down, it would also be wrong.

The judge then issued an arrest warrant for Mañasco after he failed to appear in court for the second consecutive day

A long legal dispute

The legal dispute between Mañasco and Mansion Group dates back to 2023, when the company filed a civil suit accusing him of breaching fiduciary duties, authorising suspicious financial transactions, and using company funds to purchase luxury goods and award himself excessive bonuses.

In 2024, the Supreme Court issued a judgment against Mañasco in the civil proceedings, ordering him to repay over €2.5m and £127,000 after he failed to provide sufficient explanations for disputed payments.

Mañasco has challenged this and other rulings, once again claiming judicial bias.

However, in January, the Gibraltar Court of Appeal dismissed his claims, stating there was no evidence to support the allegations.

At the time, Mañasco’s legal team told NEXT.iothat he now plans to escalate the matter to the Privy Council in London, arguing that the rulings raise serious questions about fairness, privacy rights, and the ability to defend counterclaims.

NEXT.iohas contacted Mañasco’s lawyer for further comment.