July 23, 2025 3 min read

likes:

Fact-checked by Angel Hristov

PlayUp-Mintas Legal Saga Sees Unexpected Turn as Court Probes Alleged Evidence Tampering

Dr. Laila Mintas’ ongoing legal battle against PlayUp for alleged defamation and false light has reached an unusual junction as a new forensic investigation threatens to tip the scales

A fierce court battle between former PlayUp US CEO Dr. Laila Mintas and the Australian gambling operator took a dramatic turn last week when a federal court in Nevada ordered a forensic investigation of PlayUp Global CEO Daniel Simic’s digital records due to suspicions of deliberate evidence manipulation. If true, this revelation could tilt the case in Mintas’ favor.

Mintas Levied Substantial Counterclaims

The court decision, issued on July 18 by Magistrate Judge Nancy Koppe, follows mounting concerns over Simic’s failure to obey discovery orders, combined with discrepancies in key documents submitted to the court. Koppe raised substantial doubts over the truthfulness of Simic’s responses and strongly condemned the shifting narrative offered by him and his legal team.

The ongoing lawsuit centers around the role Mintas played during PlayUp’s acquisition talks with crypto exchange FTX. The former CEO has long denied responsibility for the collapse of the $450 million deal despite PlayUp’s lawsuit blaming her for derailing it. While the court previously dismissed all claims against Mintas, the counterclaims she filed against her former employer stand.

Mintas accused PlayUp of defaming her, breaching contractual terms, and acting in bad faith. She now seeks to recover her 11% stake in the company envisioned in her original contract after she invested $1.2 million of her funds into the business. Mintas remains adamant that she far exceeded her contractual requirements, helping secure several profitable market access agreements during her tenure.

Tampering with Evidence Could Have Serious Consequences

Simic’s alleged slip-up could give Mintas an unexpected advantage in this legal battle. One crucial meeting document, SIMIC000004, has drawn the court’s scrutiny. While Simic presented a PDF copy as instructed, Mintas delivered another version of the same file obtained from board member Michael Costa. The two had stark differences, with Costa describing his copy as the original, unedited version.

Judge Koppe noted that Simic had repeatedly failed to provide the unedited file, with his team offering confusing and contradicting explanations. The court noted that such behavior could aim to obscure deliberate alterations of legal documents to obtain an advantage. Koppe concluded that Simic had acted in bad faith to avoid scrutiny and ordered a forensic investigation.

It is undisputed that Simic failed to timely provide discovery in response to the discovery request and… has displayed many different types of behavior that warrant a forensic examination.

Magistrate Judge Nancy Koppe

Simic must now surrender all communication devices and relevant online communications to an independent forensics expert. This move will reveal whether data manipulation took place, potentially leading to sanctions. If the allegations prove true, the fallout could extend beyond this lawsuit, potentially tarnishing PlayUp’s reputation and raising uncomfortable questions regarding its leadership.

Deyan is an experienced writer, analyst, and seeker of forbidden lore. He has approximate knowledge about many things, which he is always willing to apply when researching and preparing his articles. With a degree in Copy-editing and Proofreading, Deyan is able to ensure that his work writing for Gambling News is always up to scratch.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *