Hong Kong police have arrested a 36-year-old man accused of trying to keep a Mark Six jackpot worth around HK$30 million (US$3.8 million) that he was supposed to share with 14 colleagues.
The case came to light after a 53-year-old man reported the matter to police on Wednesday, claiming he was one of 15 colleagues who had pooled their money to buy a Mark Six ticket for Saturday’s draw.
The group reportedly included several staff members of Hong Kong’s Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD).
According to a source, the 36-year-old colleague bought the ticket and held the bank account into which the prize money was paid.
However, after the ticket won, he allegedly refused to divide the winnings equally among the group, sparking a dispute.
A meeting was held in Aberdeen on Wednesday evening in an attempt to settle the matter. The source said the discussion lasted about 30 minutes, but the ticket buyer allegedly maintained that he would not share the winnings.
Fearing that the man intended to keep the entire prize and disappear, the 53-year-old reported the matter to police at 10.06pm that night.
The 36-year-old reportedly had also failed to turn up for work for five consecutive days.
Police confirmed on Friday night that a 36-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of theft and remained in custody. Officers from the Western police district are investigating.
The FEHD said it was aware of the police investigation and would cooperate with the authorities.
“As the police investigation is ongoing, it would not be appropriate for the department to comment on the details at this stage,” an FEHD spokesman said in response to queries from the South China Morning Post.
The ticket was from the Sept 5 “Mark Six 50th Anniversary Snowball” draw organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which carried a record jackpot of HK$228 million.
According to the club’s website, the first-prize pool had 3.5 winning units, with each winning unit worth HK$63.3 million.
