Police probe missing Mark Six winner in payout row
SingTao · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
Police are following up a suspected theft case after a Food and Environmental Hygiene Department staff member allegedly vanished following a Mark Six jackpot dispute. Reports say he bought the ticket on behalf of 14 colleagues and then refused to split more than HK$30 million from a half-share first prize equally after the September 5 draw.
Key Points
- Sing Tao reported the man is a 36-year-old inspector surnamed Ling (凌) from the department's Market Modernisation Section, who joined 14 colleagues in a pooled Mark Six bet
- The group reportedly bought into the HK$228 million Mark Six draw on Saturday, September 5, and won a half-share first prize worth about HK$30 million-plus.
- A dispute arose because Ling allegedly wanted a larger cut; one report said he sought HK$10 million, while another said he wanted to take the biggest share.
- The parties reportedly met for talks at about 6:30pm on Wednesday, September 9, on Yip Kan Street near their Wong Chuk Hang office, but negotiations failed
- Colleagues later reported the matter at Aberdeen Police Station, and police are now handling the case as suspected theft after Ling allegedly went missing.
Why It Matters
The case could test how far informal workplace lottery arrangements can be enforced when a winning ticket is held in one person's account, especially if the original agreement was verbal. It has also drawn attention because pooled Mark Six betting is common among colleagues in Hong Kong, and Sing Tao noted earlier cases in which civil servants and police officers shared major wins without public dispute.