Police have arrested an advertising company boss who said he had successfully invited Spanish football giants FC Barcelona to Hong Kong but was rejected by the match venue and released the image of an allegedly fake email to back up his claim.
The arrest of the man on Thursday came a week after organiser Winman Advertising and Entertaining Group issued a press release saying it had intended to put on a football match involving Barcelona in July at a new 50,000-seat stadium in Kai Tak Sports Park.
The announcement drew widespread media attention.
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The company said Barcelona had agreed to visit Hong Kong but the soon-to-open sports park had rejected its application to use Kai Tak Stadium.
“Police do not rule out the possibility that some people may be wishful thinkers, believing they had the capability to facilitate international sporting events,” Chief Inspector Sun Yi-ki from the force’s cybersecurity and technology crime bureau.
“But due to a lack of experience and improper arrangements, these wishes did not materialise. Subsequently, they shifted the blame, misled the media ... attempting to divert public attention.”
The firm’s press release included a screenshot of an email dated January 8, purportedly sent by someone at Kai Tak Sports Park, acknowledging a “technical error” in sending a request for further information and an application form.
The park reported the matter to police later, suspecting the email to be fabricated.
Sun said police took over the investigation and arrested a man from the firm on Thursday for allegedly using false instruments.
The Post learned that the arrested man was Winman CEO Edwin Wong Ho-ting.
Wong earlier told the Post Barcelona had signed with the company, with one of the conditions being that Kai Tak Stadium or Hong Kong Stadium was available for the team to play against the designated opponent.
The suspect was also accused of making a false report of a crime on Saturday, alleging that a reporter had attempted to extort HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) from him via email, threatening to release negative news about him and harm him and his family.
Police seized two mobile phones and a computer and said they did not rule out the possibility that accomplices were involved in the case.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park to host 10,000 during first trial of main stadium
- Hong Kong’s Nicholas Tse to put on 2 Kai Tak concerts soon after Coldplay
- FC Barcelona ‘signed’ to play in Hong Kong – but ‘unsent email’ row pauses venue talks
- 50,000 Hong Kong civil servants to join Kai Tak stadium test run early next year
- Coldplay adds fourth Hong Kong show, with tickets on sale from Friday next week
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