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A HK$33 million Mark Six jackpot has sparked a bitter dispute among a group of 15 Food and Environmental Hygiene Department staff, with a health inspector arrested on suspicion of theft after allegedly refusing to share the winnings.
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The group, from the department’s Market Development Division, reportedly pooled money to buy Mark Six tickets for the Mark Six 50th Anniversary Snowball draw on September 5.
The tickets won the jackpot along with second-tier and other prizes, with total winnings of around HK$33 million.
The inspector, identified as Ling, was responsible for placing the bet and collecting the prize as the group’s representative. The winnings were subsequently paid into his account.
However, a dispute reportedly broke out over how the prize money should be divided.
According to East Week, a sister publication of The Standard, the 15-member team reportedly comprised a Senior Superintendent, two Chief Health Inspectors, four Senior Health Inspectors and four Health Inspectors, along with four staff members in deputy-level positions. Ling was among the four Health Inspectors.
Sources said Ling allegedly argued that he should receive HK$10 million because he had handled the purchase of the tickets. Another member of the group, reportedly a senior official who contributed more money to the bet, was said to have argued that the winnings should be divided according to the amount each person contributed.
The dispute continued for several days, with Ling reportedly taking leave from September 7 and becoming unreachable for a period.
The group later contacted police over concerns that the winnings could be taken away. Police arrested Ling on suspicion of theft on September 11.
He was released on bail the following morning and is required to report to police in October.
Police Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming said the relevant bank account and funds had been frozen in accordance with the law, with the investigation continuing.
East Week tracks down the inspector
East Week tracked down Ling at his Hong Kong Island home on Sunday (Sep 13) as part of its follow-up investigation into the dispute.
Reporters waited outside the property for several hours before Ling answered the door at around 4pm while on a phone call.
After learning that reporters were outside, Ling reportedly told the person on the phone that there were reporters at the door before closing the door without responding to questions.
East Week also found that Ling and his wife, who is also a Health Inspector with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, jointly own the property.
According to a source, Ling returned to the team’s Wong Chuk Hang office on September 11, the fifth day of his leave, shortly before the end of the working day. He reportedly greeted colleagues but did not discuss the distribution of the winnings.
The HK$33 million in prize money remains frozen as police continue their investigation.
