Six charged over match-fixing scam

Senior sergeant Scott Poynder told the hearing at least five games had been identified by Sportradar as being "highly suspicious". Photo / Thinkstock

Six men have been charged in relation to Australia's largest match-fixing scandal, including a goalkeeper and a Malaysian national who has been remanded in custody for allegedly helping to run the alleged scam.

The charges relate to an alleged match-fixing ring estimated to have reaped more than A$2 million ($2.27 million) of betting winnings, mainly overseas, from manipulating scores of the bottom-placed Southern Stars in the Victorian Premier League.

It follows a Victoria police investigation which began last month on information from Swiss-based sports and betting data intelligence agency Sportradar, which was passed on by Football Federation Australia.

Gerry Gsubramaniam, 45, of Clayton South is accused of acting as a contact point for players in the Southern Stars team.

He faces 10 charges including five counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event, and five charges of facilitating conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event.

Gsubramaniam, a Malaysian citizen, appeared before an out-of-sessions hearing late on Sunday night where he requested bail.

Detective acting senior sergeant Scott Poynder told the hearing Gsubramaniam had received payment for giving Southern Stars players information on how games were to unfold.

"He is the contact point," Poynder said. "He receives phone calls. He is given advice on how the Southern Stars players are to perform."

Poynder told the hearing at least five games had been identified by Sportradar as being "highly suspicious".

He opposed bail and Gsubramaniam was remanded to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates court yesterday.

"Video showed some of the players were doing some unusually poor play," Poynder said.

"For that work [Gsubramaniam] received payment.

"Some of the bets are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Goalkeeper Joe Wooley and another player Reiss Noel each face eight charges, including four counts of engaging in conduct that could corrupt the outcome of a betting event, and four charges of facilitating conduct that could corrupt the outcome of a betting event. Both were released on bail.

A further three men, including the team's coach, have been bailed to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates court on September 20.

They each face four counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event, and four counts of facilitating conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event.

- AAP