League Championship side Birmingham City Owner Carson Yeung was "sentenced to six years in jail on Friday by a Hong Kong court" for laundering HK$720M, according to Heather Saul of the London INDEPENDENT. His sentence "follows a high-profile trial that shone a spotlight on how the barber-turned-businessman amassed his fortune." Yeung was arrested in '11, two years after he bought the club in Oct. '09 for £81.5M. The businessman had told the court that he "built his wealth through hairdressing, share trading, property purchases, gambling in the world's casino hub of Macau and other investments." The "former hair stylist to Hong Kong's rich and famous laundered the money" between Jan. '01 and Dec. '07 "through five bank accounts, the court found" (INDEPENDENT, 3/7). In London, David Conn reported most of the money "which went through five of Yeung's bank accounts between 2001 and 2007 came from illicit sources in China's gambling capital of Macau, the judge, Douglas Yau, had decided." Yeung was the "most prominent figure involved in a takeover of 29% of Birmingham" in '07, then in the "full purchase of the club from the former majority owners David Sullivan and David Gold," for £81.5M in '09. At the time "there were questions" about how Yeung, a hairdresser, had "made money on the scale required to be involved in buying a Premier League club, but these were waved away, and he was described as a director of energy companies" (GUARDIAN, 3/7).
YEUNG EXPECTED TO APPEAL: Also in London, John Percy wrote Yeung's imprisonment "should finally bring the curtain down on one of the most turbulent periods in Birmingham City's history -- but the harsh reality is that little will change." Despite all the "uncomfortable headlines," Birmingham Int'l Holdings has been "determined to maintain an air of business as usual." The Birmingham Mail ran a "strongly worded comment piece earlier this week" with the headline "We want you gone, Carson Yeung," pleading with his "cronies" to "also leave the club -- but it appears wishful thinking." Yeung is "also expected to appeal against his sentence and that process could take a minimum of 18 months so, for Birmingham's fans, the pain will go on." The 54-year-old's "troubled reign should result in the Football League completely scrapping the blueprint of their fit and proper persons test but at a time when Birmingham desperately need assistance, it has not been forthcoming" (TELEGRAPH, 3/7).
FLAWED SYSTEM: The BBC's David Bond wrote for those critics of "English football's fit and proper person's test, the case of Carson Yeung is the best example yet of a system that is failing the game." The Football League's owners' and directors' test was "introduced more than 10 years ago and disqualifies individuals convicted of a dishonest act or corruption from serving as a director or official of one of their member clubs." Many people, however, will "rightly ask how he was able to take a controlling interest in Birmingham in the first place." They will also "want to know how and why he is still able to own such a significant stake in the club -- now 15% -- when he is heading to prison" (BBC, 3/7).
NOTORIOUS PRISON AWAITS: In Birmingham, Brett Gibbons wrote Yeung is to be "incarcerated in one of the world’s toughest jails -- which has put to death more than 100 criminals." Yeung is "used to living in a luxurious mansion, but now faces sharing a prison cell at the notorious Stanley Prison in Hong Kong with dangerous criminals including gangsters, drug dealers and murderers." Currently he is "locked up in Lai Chi Kok reception centre in Kowloon." He "is likely to be moved soon to the notorious Stanley Prison -- listed by prisoners support groups as amongst the toughest jails in the world" (BIRMINGHAM MAIL, 3/7).
FANS PROTEST: Also in Birmingham, Steve Wollaston reported "disgruntled Birmingham City fans continued their protests against Carson Yeung at St. Andrew's." Various supporter groups "came together" to raise £2,000 ($3,345) for a flag measuring "70ft x 25ft" that was unfurled at the home game against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. The flag carried the words "All We Care About Is BCFC" (BIRMINGHAM MAIL, 3/8).
STAKE SALE FALLS THROUGH: REUTERS' Keith Weir reported Birmingham City "suffered a double blow on Friday" when the sale of a stake in the club "fell through hours after the team owner was jailed." A "little-known Beijing advertising firm had agreed last month" to buy a 12% stake in the club for HK$45M ($5.8M), but the deal was "scrapped after the buyer failed to come up with the cash" (REUTERS, 3/7).
