Chann Sankaran and Krishna Ganeshan, businessmen from Singapore, and Michael Boateng, former Whitehawk FC defender, have been convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery after plotting to fix the results of football matches.
Sankaran amd Ganeshan have been sentenced to five years, and Boateng has been sentenced to sixteen months.
Hakeem Adelakun, another player for Whitehawk FC, was cleared following the trial. The jury was discharged from reaching a verdict on Moses Swaibu, also a footballer for the side, who had denied a single count of conspiracy to offer, promise or give a financial advantage.
Judge Melbourne Inman QC said Sankaran and Ganeshan were the “controlling minds” at the head of the conspiracy after coming to the UK solely to find players the could corrupt. Judge Inman also said it was sad to see the player in the dock, “It is, sadly, pure greed that allowed you to become involved in what Sankaran and Ganeshan were doing.” He also said all professional clubs and non-league sides need to be vigilant to ensure match-fixing corruption does not affect them.
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