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A major breakthrough has unfolded in the workplace lottery scandal surrounding the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, as police confirmed the arrest of a 36-year-old health inspector accused of attempting to embezzle approximately HK$33 million in Mark Six prize money won by a 15-member colleague syndicate.
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The suspect was formally taken into custody on suspicion of theft and remains detained for questioning, with the investigation assigned to the Western Police District.
The arrest follows a formal report lodged at Aberdeen Police Station on the evening of September 9 by a distraught coworker. The complainant told officers that members of their office pool had jointly purchased lottery tickets for the September 5 draw, delegating the physical transaction to one male colleague.
When the ticket won a multi-million-dollar prize, the designated buyer refused to honor the agreed terms of equal distribution, sparking a severe financial dispute that led coworkers to fear the funds would be permanently lost.
Dispute erupts over banker bet and demanded HK$10 million cut
The arrested officer, surnamed Ling, is assigned to the Market Revitalisation Section under the Market Development Division within the department's Administration and Development Branch.
For the HK$228 million Mark Six 50th Anniversary Snowball draw, Ling and 14 other colleagues in the unit each contributed a single number to form a collective bet. Ling then used his personal Hong Kong Jockey Club betting account to enter two banker-and-leg combination wagers at five dollars per half-unit.
The syndicate struck fortune when their entry secured a half-share of the first prize alongside second, third, and multiple minor consolation payouts, accumulating roughly HK$33 million in total prize money.
However, once the massive payout landed in Ling's personal bank account, the celebratory atmosphere disintegrated into conflict. Ling reportedly asserted that because he handled the mechanics of the complex betting strategy, he was entitled to a disproportionate HK$10 million share, leaving only the remainder to be divided among the remaining 14 participants.
He further claimed to have locked the entire prize pool into fixed-term bank deposits, flatly rebuffing his colleagues' demands for an equal split.
Office negotiations collapse leading to police report and arrest
The confrontation escalated to an in-person negotiation on the evening of September 9 along Yip Kan Street near the department's Wong Chuk Hang offices.
Talks broke down completely when Ling refused to back down from his demands. Ling subsequently took multiple consecutive days of leave and ceased all communication with his team.
Alarmed by his sudden disappearance and suspecting an attempt to abscond with the millions, his coworkers sought immediate police intervention.
The situation was further compounded by workplace turmoil, as the 15 participants had originally formed their pool through an office social messaging group dedicated to buying shared snacks and lottery entries.
Word of the jackpot win quickly triggered bitter arguments involving former colleagues who had previously resigned from the civil service and left the chat group, creating significant internal confusion before detectives intervened and took Ling into custody.
