It is not uncommon for the gambling sector to be targeted by criminals. While some culprits think it’s a good idea to rob a casino, others prefer to participate in illegal gambling and benefit from huge profits, at least before they are caught.
While casinos can be targets of criminals, iGaming executives can also become victims of unlawful actions. According to a new report, a recognizable iGaming entrepreneur was able to successfully avoid a kidnapping attempt recently.
Andrey “TTR” Nikolaev Attacked in Portugal
That is the case of Andrey “TTR” Nikolaev, a recognizable entrepreneur within the online gambling vertical who was reportedly recently attacked in Portugal. Nikolaev is famous for founding a range of online casino gambling platforms, including Ocean Affiliates, a popular affiliate in the gambling sector. He was also among the first gamblers to stream online casino games ahead of the rise of popularity of such streams.
Nikolaev lived for a few years in Portugal. Over the weekend, the iGaming entrepreneur was attacked by a group of unknown assailants, a report released by NEXT.io suggests, citing information from Nikolaev’s Telegram channel. Reportedly, the entrepreneur released videos and photos following the incident, displaying signs of violence including a cut on his face along with different bruises.
What’s known so far is that Nikolaev was returning home after a workout at a nearby gym. At some point, the executive was attacked by four masked men who sprayed him with pepper spray before attempting to push him into a car. The kidnapping attempt wasn’t successful as Nikolaev was able to free himself from the grasp of the assailants. Perhaps his intense physical training played a key role in that process.
While Nikolaev was able to free himself, it is unclear if the police in Portugal have made any arrests or suspects anyone of the blood-chilling kidnapping attempt. Not much else is known so far with the exception that law enforcement continues to investigate the incident.
Another Executive Was Recently Attacked
The latest kidnapping attempt comes after earlier this year, another gaming executive was attacked. Yolo Group’s CEO, Tim Heath, was able to thwart a kidnapping attempt earlier this year. Details regarding the attack emerged in October during a hearing of the criminal case against one of the suspected attackers of the businessman and entrepreneur.
Heath’s kidnapping attempt dates back to the end of July when several attackers entered his apartment complex. Disguised as handymen, the culprits tried to kidnap him but to no avail. After Heath successfully pushed off the attackers, they were seen fleeing the crime scene in a rental van.