Soccer players, betting agent convicted of an illegal gambling scheme in Hong Kong

• Soccer players and betting agents are found guilty in a corruption probe involving soccer in Hong Kong
• One of the most notable defendants, Brian Fok, has been trying to influence game outcomes to secure wagers placed by third parties
• Fok, a fellow player and a betting agent, is now awaiting sentencing, which is due on May 29

On Friday, a Hong Kong court convicted two soccer players and a betting agent of participating in an illegal gambling scheme, which included, but was not limited to, offering bribes to professional athletes to influence the outcomes of betting selections.

Fok reeled in two others into his scheme and kept going for years

The case, involving ex-Hong Kong Under-23 player Nigerian-born defender Brian Fok and two accomplices, relates to the bribery of soccer players and is possibly one of the biggest gambling-related scandals in the city in recent years.

Hong Kong has been hesitant about further scaling the scope and range of betting markets, with cases such as this usually serving as a stopper to further legislative efforts.

Fok, who is now 32, was convicted of two charges of conspiracy to cheat at gambling by the West Kowloon Court, alongside Luciano Silva da Silva, another player, and betting agent Waheed Mohammad.

Sentencing is now to follow, with a date set for May 29, as further background reports about each of the defendants are produced.

Fok is said to have approached at least two players who testified in the case - Jean Maciel and Marcus McMillian, who were playing at the Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) in 2021.

The players said that Fok offered them money to help intentionally lose Premier League games, in exchange for $1,280 per match or around HK$10,000. Maciel was offered $3,840 or HK$30,000 after he refused Fok’s initial offer.

Offering money to make players lose games

Fok is said to have also persuaded Maciel not to participate in a specific game, once again tied to betting market outcomes.

Fok continued to try to influence betting outcomes after he quit HKFC, moving to Happy Valley Athletic Association, where he, reports said, conspired with da Silva, who was playing at Central and Western District Recreation and Sports Association, as well as Mohammad.

Fok is said to have also offered live updates to co-conspirators and third-parties who were placing the bets based on the information he provided. Some of those people would attend matches in real-time, with Fok giving specific signals to help notify the people placing the bets about what would happen next.

Image credit: Unsplash.com