12 Arrested in Hong Kong Over Football Match-Fixing Allegations

^{Photo: ICAC Officers}

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has apprehended 12 individuals aged between 24 and 54 on suspicion of orchestrating match-fixing within local football leagues. The suspects include both players and coaches from various local football teams.

Among those arrested are:

• The head coach and two players from a Premier League football club
• The coach and four players from a Second Division club
• A player from another Second Division football team
• Three illegal betting agents who also serve as head coaches and players for three additional local football clubs

The allegations revolve around coaches orchestrating critical match outcomes — such as corner kicks, goals, and other pivotal moments — by discreetly communicating secret signals to players. These covert maneuvers aimed to generate illegal profits from bets placed by the conspirators. The match-fixing scheme allowed the suspects to profit from betting for three football seasons starting in 2021.

The total amount wagered by some of the arrested individuals during a single season reached $130,000.

During the investigation, over 20 premises and homes of the suspects were searched, and more than 20 individuals, including several football players, were questioned. Currently, all arrested individuals have been released on bail.

This recent crackdown follows a similar case a few months earlier, where Hong Kong authorities charged four organizers with over 30 incidents of manipulating game outcomes at the local league level.