ICAC operation “Tenacity”: Duo sentenced for betting with bookmakers
2025-4-17
In operation “Tenacity” mounted earlier, the ICAC had cracked down a suspected corruption syndicate in connection with football match-fixing and illegal gambling. Following intensive investigations, seven individuals had so far been charged by the Commission. Two of them today (April 17) admitted at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts that they had placed bets with bookmakers and were fined $24,000 and $12,000 respectively.
Chiu Chung-man, 55, then head coach of Hong Kong Rangers Football Club (also known as Biu Chun Rangers); and Ho Sze-hon, 46, supply teacher, today pleaded guilty to a total of three charges, namely two counts of promoting or facilitating bookmaking or betting with a bookmaker, contrary to section 16B(1) of the Gambling Ordinance; and one count of betting with a bookmaker, contrary to section 8 of the Gambling Ordinance.
Chiu was sentenced by Magistrate Mr Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong to a fine of $12,000, and Ho was fined $24,000.
The offences took place between January and December 2023. At the material time, Chiu was the head coach of Biu Chun Rangers, while Ho was a supply teacher at a school. The duo were acquainted with each other. The two defendants had placed bets with bookmakers in five matches in the Hong Kong Premier League (HK Premier League), Jockey Club Sapling Cup (JC Sapling Cup) and Football Association Cup (FA Cup) organised by The Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HK Football Association) in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 football seasons. Betting on local matches organised by the HK Football Association is strictly prohibited.
The five football matches concerned held in 2023 were the FA Cup match between Eastern Sports Club Football Team (Eastern FC) and Hong Kong Football Club on January 7; the JC Sapling Cup match between Kitchee Sports Club (Kitchee) and Biu Chun Rangers on January 8; the HK Premier League match between Biu Chun Rangers and Resources Capital Football Club (Resources Capital) on January 15; the HK Premier League match between Kitchee and Sham Shui Po Sports Association (SSPSA) on February 5; and the JC Sapling Cup match between SSPSA and HK U23 Football Team on December 30.
The court heard that on various occasions, upon Chiu’s request, Ho had assisted him in placing bets totalling $47,000 with bookmakers on the aforesaid five local football matches, each bet ranging from $2,000 to $5,000.
The ICAC investigation revealed that the aforesaid bets of $47,000 included bets which Chiu placed for himself as well as bets totalling $20,000 which Chiu had received from another coach of Biu Chun Rangers.
The court also heard that when Chiu instructed Ho to place bets on the HK Premier League match between Biu Chun Rangers and Resources Capital held on January 15, 2023, Chiu disclosed to Ho his team’s strategy that Biu Chun Rangers would not deploy any forward in the game, implying that a low score of goals would be resulted. Meanwhile, on the same day, Chiu had placed via Ho a bet of $5,000 “weaker team” and another bet of $5,000 “low” for total number of goals. Eventually, Biu Chun Rangers won the match by a score of 4:1.
Liang Ngai-tung, 20, then defender of SSPSA, who was charged by the ICAC in a separate case, was earlier fined $5,000 after pleading guilty at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts to one count of betting with a bookmaker. The court heard that on a number of occasions between May 30 and June 5, 2024, Liang had placed bets totalling over $6,600 with a bookmaker through a mobile application in matches including the FA Cup final held between SSPSA and Eastern FC on June 1, 2024.
Four other defendants charged by the ICAC in a separate case are Yao Xiaocong, 40, illegal bookmaker; Lo Hong-ming, 30, owner-cum-coach of Fu Moon Athletic Association (Fu Moon), a football club of the Second Division of Hong Kong (HK Second Division), who also played as a defender in matches; So Chun-yin, 32, midfielder of Fu Moon; and Wong Him-chun, 32, illegal betting agent and former football player of Fu Moon.
They faced one count of conspiracy to offer advantage to agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law. They had allegedly offered bribes totalling over $240,000 to various football players for contriving the HK Second Division match results in the football season 2021/22 to facilitate illegal gambling business of the syndicate. The case is scheduled for mention at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on July 7.
As the ICAC inquiries are ongoing, further prosecutions will not be ruled out.
HK Football Association rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Peter Chow.
Chiu Chung-man, 55, then head coach of Hong Kong Rangers Football Club (also known as Biu Chun Rangers); and Ho Sze-hon, 46, supply teacher, today pleaded guilty to a total of three charges, namely two counts of promoting or facilitating bookmaking or betting with a bookmaker, contrary to section 16B(1) of the Gambling Ordinance; and one count of betting with a bookmaker, contrary to section 8 of the Gambling Ordinance.
Chiu was sentenced by Magistrate Mr Kestrel Lam Tsz-hong to a fine of $12,000, and Ho was fined $24,000.
The offences took place between January and December 2023. At the material time, Chiu was the head coach of Biu Chun Rangers, while Ho was a supply teacher at a school. The duo were acquainted with each other. The two defendants had placed bets with bookmakers in five matches in the Hong Kong Premier League (HK Premier League), Jockey Club Sapling Cup (JC Sapling Cup) and Football Association Cup (FA Cup) organised by The Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HK Football Association) in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 football seasons. Betting on local matches organised by the HK Football Association is strictly prohibited.
The five football matches concerned held in 2023 were the FA Cup match between Eastern Sports Club Football Team (Eastern FC) and Hong Kong Football Club on January 7; the JC Sapling Cup match between Kitchee Sports Club (Kitchee) and Biu Chun Rangers on January 8; the HK Premier League match between Biu Chun Rangers and Resources Capital Football Club (Resources Capital) on January 15; the HK Premier League match between Kitchee and Sham Shui Po Sports Association (SSPSA) on February 5; and the JC Sapling Cup match between SSPSA and HK U23 Football Team on December 30.
The court heard that on various occasions, upon Chiu’s request, Ho had assisted him in placing bets totalling $47,000 with bookmakers on the aforesaid five local football matches, each bet ranging from $2,000 to $5,000.
The ICAC investigation revealed that the aforesaid bets of $47,000 included bets which Chiu placed for himself as well as bets totalling $20,000 which Chiu had received from another coach of Biu Chun Rangers.
The court also heard that when Chiu instructed Ho to place bets on the HK Premier League match between Biu Chun Rangers and Resources Capital held on January 15, 2023, Chiu disclosed to Ho his team’s strategy that Biu Chun Rangers would not deploy any forward in the game, implying that a low score of goals would be resulted. Meanwhile, on the same day, Chiu had placed via Ho a bet of $5,000 “weaker team” and another bet of $5,000 “low” for total number of goals. Eventually, Biu Chun Rangers won the match by a score of 4:1.
Liang Ngai-tung, 20, then defender of SSPSA, who was charged by the ICAC in a separate case, was earlier fined $5,000 after pleading guilty at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts to one count of betting with a bookmaker. The court heard that on a number of occasions between May 30 and June 5, 2024, Liang had placed bets totalling over $6,600 with a bookmaker through a mobile application in matches including the FA Cup final held between SSPSA and Eastern FC on June 1, 2024.
Four other defendants charged by the ICAC in a separate case are Yao Xiaocong, 40, illegal bookmaker; Lo Hong-ming, 30, owner-cum-coach of Fu Moon Athletic Association (Fu Moon), a football club of the Second Division of Hong Kong (HK Second Division), who also played as a defender in matches; So Chun-yin, 32, midfielder of Fu Moon; and Wong Him-chun, 32, illegal betting agent and former football player of Fu Moon.
They faced one count of conspiracy to offer advantage to agent, contrary to section 9(2)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance and section 159A of the Crimes Ordinance; and one count of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to the Common Law. They had allegedly offered bribes totalling over $240,000 to various football players for contriving the HK Second Division match results in the football season 2021/22 to facilitate illegal gambling business of the syndicate. The case is scheduled for mention at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on July 7.
As the ICAC inquiries are ongoing, further prosecutions will not be ruled out.
HK Football Association rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the cases.
The prosecution was today represented by ICAC officer Peter Chow.