Police allege recordings capture yellow card scam by Macarthur FC players

Investigators say they have secret recordings that allegedly ­capture at least one of the Macarthur FC players speaking about the yellow card ­betting scam that has rocked the A-League.

Investigators obtained secret recordings that allegedly ­captured at least one of the Macarthur FC players speaking about the yellow card ­betting scam.

With the A-League thrown into disarray after three Macarthur Bulls players – including the team’s captain Ulises Davila – were charged over their alleged involvement in a betting scandal linked to a South American organised crime figure, more can be ­revealed about the police investigation.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal police obtained secret recordings of at least one of the players allegedly linking them to the plot, and that prosecutors plan to use the recordings as evidence against the players in their criminal cases.

Police sources would not be drawn on whether listening devices had been installed in any of the players’ cars or homes or whether an undercover operative was sent in to secretly record conversations.

But they indicated that the evidence was not obtained via a phone tap.

Alleged match fixer and A-League player Ulises Davila outside his home. Picture: Tim Hunter.

This comes as Davila spoke for the first time since being charged on Friday.

The Bulls captain emerged from a day of avoiding cameras at his home yesterday.

Davila pictured during his arrest.

Clutching his young son, Davila told the Telegraph he was unable to comment on the police allegations he was involved in a South American crime gang’s betting rort.

“I can’t talk please, I am in trouble so I can’t talk,” he said.

“I have been told not to talk.”

When asked whether he knew why police targeted him Davila said: “I don’t know. I don’t know why they do this”.

The midfielder, who was once on Chelsea’s books, declined to comment on police claims that he had been planning to go overseas.

Davila is alleged by police to have enlisted two other Bulls players to deliberately get yellow cards in two A-League games last year before rewarding them with $10,000 each.

Police allege similar attempts in two other games failed.

The Mexican star and Macarthur teammates Kearyn Baccus and Clayton Lewis have all been charged with corruption-related betting offences that carry a maximum 10-year jail term if convicted.

All three were given police bail to front court later.

“Clayton disputes the allegations. He will be pleading not guilty and fighting the charges,” Lewis’ lawyer Zemarai Khatiz said.

Police allege the head of the syndicate in South America scored $190,000 in winnings after placing 21 bets for Macarthur to have more than 3.5 yellow cards in a game.

Investigators want to speak to a fourth player, who is not in NSW, and have said they will extradite him if he does not return in the coming days.

Another player attended a police station on Friday night and spoke to investigators but was released without charge.

Melbourne University Professor of Law Jack Anderson is an expert in sport law.

While speaking on the issue generally, Anderson said it wasn’t a new concept and said there had been similar instances of players deliberately getting yellow cards in the UK.

“The more games are streamed or televised, the more gambling markets occur and the greater vulnerability,” he said.

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Originally published as Police allege recordings capture yellow card scam by Macarthur FC players