Former Hong Kong Soccer Players Convicted in Major Match-Fixing Scandal

• Former footballers convicted in major Hong Kong match-fixing conspiracy
• Illegal betting ring manipulated more than 30 Hong Kong football matches
• Players were offered thousands to deliberately lose league games

A multi-million-dollar match-fixing syndicate has been dismantled in Hong Kong after two former pro soccer stars and a betting agent were convicted of rigging dozens of elite league games.

Brian Fok, a Nigerian former Hong Kong Under 23 center-back, Brazilian defender Luciano Silva da Silva, and betting agent Waheed Mohammad were found guilty in West Kowloon Court Friday of two counts each of conspiracy to cheat at gambling.

Fok, who played for Hong Kong FC and later Happy Valley, was also convicted of three counts of offering an advantage to an agent in violation of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.

Player Bribes

Earlier, the court heard that Fok approached teammates while playing for Hong Kong FC in 2021 and offered fellow players Jean Maciel and Marcus McMillan sums ranging from HK$10,000 to HK$30,000 to deliberately lose Premier League matches. Both players rejected the offers and testified against him in court.

Magistrate Peter Yu Chun-cheung accepted their testimony, rejecting Fok’s claims that the allegations had been fabricated.

The court also heard that Fok attempted to persuade Maciel not to play in a match after learning he had been selected, believing the team would be weaker without him.

Authorities said the scheme later expanded during the 2022-23 first division season after Fok joined Happy Valley. Prosecutors alleged he conspired with da Silva, then playing for Central & Western, and Mohammad to influence matches involving both clubs.

The ICAC said the operation relied heavily on live betting, with Fok sending signals to associates watching from the stands so wagers could be placed during games in real-time.

Plea for Leniency

During mitigation, Fok’s lawyer told the court his football career had been destroyed by the case and that he had since moved into unrelated business ventures, The South China Morning Post reported. His counsel requested a community service order, but Magistrate Yu indicated that an immediate custodial sentence was unavoidable.

Hong Kong soccer players typically earn modest salaries in comparison with European leagues, heightening the risk of corruption. Soccer betting, alongside horse racing and the lottery, is one of the few forms of legal gambling permitted in the territory.