Akmal Brothers and Other Players Caught in UK Online Sports Betting Fix

Mazhar Majeed, a bookmaker based in the United Kingdom, scandalized sports betters three months ago when he was found to be at the centre of spot-fixing, violating British gambling law. Now he has revealed that Pakistani players Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Imran Farhat, and Wahab Riaz were all members of his payroll.

The story was exposed when a Geo New channel reporter pretending to be an entrepreneur interested in profiting from spot fixing while betting on sports in the UK conversed with Mazhar who faked being an agent of Pakistani cricketers. At that time, Mazhar claimed to have seven young players on board.

Previously Majeed bared Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif, and Mohammad Aamir, as a dependable members of his conspiracy who aided in spot-fixing a match between Test and England at Lord’s last August. These players have all been suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Furthermore, following a ruling by the Attorney General, both legal and police sources are asserting “there is a strong appetite to prosecute Butt, Asif and Amir under the corruption law.” The Attorney General recently applied the 104-year old rarely-used anti-corruption law against Mervyn Westfield, a former Essex seamer who willfully bowled poorly at a one-day match in opposition to Durham.

Pakistan’s Sports Minister Ijaz Jakharani is attempting to downplay the news story refuting “nothing has been proved as yet…. How can I say anything about it…I mean these things are coming up, somebody is saying something. But they have not proved it yet. So, let’s wait till they prove anything.”

At this time, there is no reason to believe that any other offline or online sportsbooks in the UK were even aware of, never mind exploiting, Majeed’s cheating ring.

Scotland Yard is now investigating the matter.