MILLIONAIRE gambler Kevin Foster has condemned a police raid on his home near Sittingbourne. It was carried out on the instructions of the Financial Services Authority.

Officers searched the home of former cabbie Mr Foster, 48, of Seed Road, Doddington, after a search warrant was obtained by the FSA.

Mr Foster, who was in the news last week after being threatened by unknown criminals, later claimed he was being treated "like an international terrorist."

The authority also obtained High Court orders to stop Mr Foster and his colleague Kevin McNab from continuing their marketing schemes, spread-betting, football pools and other gambling syndicate affairs.

Mr Foster has become known as the 'Man with the Midas Touch', since he twice won the Pools jackpot within three weeks last April.

In July, he scooped more than £200,000 when Ben Curtis won the Open Golf at Sandwich.

The father-of-four cleaned up again after laying out £10,000 on England and Australia to reach the rugby World Cup final in Sydney at odds of 11-1, earning him £110,000.

An FSA spokesman said: "We are warning consumers who have placed large sums of money with Mr Foster or Mr McNab in connection with network marketing schemes associated with them, or as members of the syndicates established by Mr Foster for the purpose of spread-betting, or other forms of gambling, such as football pools.

"It appears that such activities may be regulated activities conducted in breach of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

"We are working closely with Kent police. The investigation is still at a very early stage."

Various trading names are connected to the activities in question, including KF Concept, which sponsors Maidstone United Football Club.

The FSA says it has taken this step in the light of information available, suggesting there may be "many thousands of members of the public who have placed large sums of money with Mr Foster, Mr McNab or others in connection with their schemes."

Mr Foster has set up syndicates all over the world, including China, Cyprus, Pakistan and South Africa.

He has also donated money to charity, including £30,000 to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and £8,000 to Lenham Dance Studio.

Speaking at his electronically-gated luxury farmhouse, complete with swimming pool, red Ferrari and many other trappings of success, he said: "I have not made false promises to people.

"I earn an absolute fortune but is there anything wrong in that? I have had a lot of luck gambling and not one of my syndicate members has complained, or decided to jack it in since the FSA action.

"KF Concept is an idea, not a business, which I dreamed up six years ago while working as a Sittingbourne cabbie, seven days a week for £380 a month.

"My first syndicate was with 24 people and now there are thousands across the world.

"The police and FSA officers were at my gates at breakfast time as if I was an international terrorist who was gun-running, or smuggling drugs but this is just so far-fetched.

"They took away all my paperwork, computers and cash. The whole thing is a storm in a tea cup and I will look forward to the day if it ever comes to court.

"The laws that I am alleged to have broken could have far-reaching consequences for anyone who sets up a lottery, or other form of gambling syndicate."

A Kent police spokesman said: "Eight police officers in plain clothes and six FSA officers were at Mr Foster's gates with a special metal door enforcer to gain entry. However, it was not needed because Mr Foster allowed us in."

Police would not reveal exactly what was taken away during the search of the property.