Former Macarthur FC captain hit with fresh ‘bet-fixing’ charges in relation to four more games

• A former Macarthur FC player is facing further charges of ‘bet-fixing’ 
• He had first been charged over an alleged ‘scheme’ to rig yellow cards in May

By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

An alleged corrupt betting scandal involving A-league players has been linked to three times as many matches as before, with police bringing additional charges against the alleged local ringleader

Ex-Macarthur Bulls team leader Ulises Davila, and midfielders Kearyn Baccus and Clayton Lewis were first charged over the alleged scheme to rig yellow cards in exchange for money in May.

On Thursday, police charged Davila with an additional three counts of facilitating conduct that corrupts a betting outcome, as well as additional charges of engaging in conduct that corrupts a betting outcome and knowingly directing a criminal group.

The fresh charges relate to 2024 games played on January 8, April 20, April 27 and May 4.

Investigators previously alleged yellow cards were also manipulated during games on November 24 and December 9, 2023.

Davila allegedly acted as the conduit between the southwest Sydney team’s players and an unnamed criminal group in Colombia, organising for yellow cards to occur during certain games.

Ex-Macarthur Bulls captain Ulises Davila (pictured centre leaving a court in June 2024) has been hit with an additional three charges in relation to a bet-fixing scheme 

The fresh charges against Davila relate to 2024 games played on January 8, April 20, April 27 and May 4

Kearyn Baccus (pictured right, arriving at a court in May 2024) had also been charged over an alleged scheme to rig yellow cards in exchange for money last year

Baccus and Lewis were allegedly paid up to $10,000 by the former captain to deliberately receive yellow cards 

Gaming-machine records and bookmaker statements from BetPlay Colombia, Bet365 New Jersey and Bet365 Bulgaria, comprise part of a lengthy brief of evidence being prepared by prosecutors.

Police say the betting scheme led to hundreds of thousands of dollars being paid out in winnings

Davila’s contract with Macarthur FC was terminated shortly after his initial arrest, which the team described in a statement as mutual.

The men are due to return to court on April 10.

Macarthur FC have been contacted for comment.  

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Former Macarthur FC captain hit with fresh ‘bet-fixing’ charges in relation to four more games

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