Tottenham owner Lewis surrenders to US authorities

British billionaire Joe Lewis has surrendered to United States authorities regarding an insider trading charge.

The 86-year-old, who is the owner of Tottenham, has given himself up to federal authorities in Manhattan, New York.

In a video statement published on social media, Damian Williams, the state attorney for SDNY, stated that Lewis "used inside information as a way to compensate employees and shower gifts on friends and lovers ... It's cheating and against the law."

In a statement the US Securities and Exchange Commission said: "Today we charged investor Joseph C. Lewis for illegally tipping material nonpublic information to his then-girlfriend, Carolyn W. Carter, as well as his two private pilots, Patrick J. O'Connor and Bryan L. Waugh, so that each would use this information to execute trades."

Lewis' lawyer, David Zornow added: "Mr Lewis [is] an 86-year-old man of impeccable integrity and prodigious accomplishment. Mr Lewis has come to the US voluntarily to answer these ill-conceived charges, and we will defend him vigorously in court."

Spurs have merely stated that the indictment "is a legal matter unconnected with the club" as Lewis does not have any day to day role at the club.