Overseas betting agencies to provide evidence against A-League players charged over match-fixing allegations

Statements from a slew of overseas betting agencies will form part of the case against a former A-League captain and midfielders who are accused of a scheme to rig yellow cards, court hears.

Ex-Macarthur Bulls team leader Ulises Davila and midfielders Kearyn Baccus and Clayton Lewis all faced Sydney‘s Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday over the alleged bet-fixing scheme.

The former captain – who parted ways with the club soon after his May arrest – allegedly acted as the conduit between the southwest Sydney team’s players and an unnamed criminal group in Colombia.

He allegedly paid Baccus and Lewis up to $10,000 to deliberately receive yellow cards through an illegal bet-fixing scheme.

Davila’s solicitor Kiki Kyriacou told Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday prosecutors had still not served the full brief of evidence on his client.

This included gaming-machine records and bookmaker statements from BetPlay Colombia, Bet365 New Jersey and Bet365 Bulgaria, the court was told.

Former Macarthur FC player Kearyn Baccus, right, arrives at Campbelltown Local Court

Macarthur Bulls player Clayton Lewis is the third player charged over the allegations

Baccus’s lawyer Rose Cetin added that transcripts of audio calls and a statement from the officer in charge of the investigation were also outstanding.

Lewis and his lawyer Zemarai Khatiz appeared in a separate court at the complex, which was told police had served the soccer player with 2500 pages of evidence.

All three matters have been adjourned until October 17.

Police say the betting scheme led to hundreds of thousands of dollars being paid out in winnings and was headed by the Colombian contact.

Investigators allege yellow cards, which are universally issued as cautions by referees for foul play, were manipulated during games played on November 24 and December 9.

Macarthur played out a 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory on November 24 before beating Sydney FC 2-0 on December 9.

All three charged players were booked in the December 9 game against Sydney.

Police also allege unsuccessful attempts were made to do the same thing during matches on April 20 and May 4.

Baccus was released by the Bulls during a 2024 off-season clean-out.