Two Melbourne-based soccer players front court over match-fixing allegations
Japanese-born Western United A-League midfielder Riku Danzaki has been charged with 10 offences, including allegations he deliberately received a yellow card during a match between Western United Football Club and Sydney Football Club on April 27 as part of an illegal betting ring.
Danzaki, 25, whose contract was not extended by Western United at the end of the 2025 season, is also accused of attempting to profit from the scheme by placing a bet in an attempt to win thousands of dollars.
He appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday where his lawyer asked for him to be considered for a diversion program to avoid criminal conviction.
Among a spate of other charges, Danzaki is accused of entering into an 'agreement or arrangement' that 'corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome' with the intention of obtaining financial advantage or causing financial disadvantage in connection with betting for matches between April 26 and May 22 this year.
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Danzaki's co-accused, Yuta Hirayama, a striker for the Bayside Argonauts, also appeared in court charged with 17 offences, including several counts of using corrupt conduct information for betting purposes and facilitating conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome.
Charge sheet documents released by the Melbourne Magistrates' Court allege Hirayama knew that Danzaki would receive a yellow card during the April 27 match and used that information to place a $250 at Bet365 at odds of $6.50 to win $1375.
Hirayama is accused of also possessing information that Danzaki would receive a yellow card during a match between Western United and Auckland Football Club on May 3. He then allegedly used that information to place several more bets, including a $213 bet with Bet365, where he made a profit of almost $1600.
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