Fifa names 2 Singaporeans as match fixers

Wilson Raj Perumal, 45, in a photo taken last year. He was arrested in Finland in February, where police are preparing charges against him over attempts to fix local league matches. -- ST FILE PHOTO

TWO Singaporean men - Wilson Raj Perumal and Anthony Santia Raj - were yesterday identified as 'middle-level' operators in an international match-fixing web by Fifa security head Chris Eaton.

Anthony, believed to be a match organiser in his 30s, is reportedly on the run. He has been linked to two games played in Antalya, Turkey, where crime gangs are believed to have earned millions of euros. Latvia beat Bolivia 2-1 and Bulgaria drew 2-2 with Estonia.

All of the goals in the February matches came from penalties. The match officials have since been suspended by their federations and charged by Fifa.

Anthony's whereabouts are unknown and Fifa and Interpol have called for help from state law enforcement agencies. But a source told The Straits Times that he left for Australia in the past two weeks.

While little is known about Anthony, the other Singaporean - Wilson - has had a highly publicised history in local media. He reportedly started out as a small- time local match fixer, but is now suspected of involvement in a global chain of deceit involving millions of dollars.

Wilson, 45, who has been described by people who have known him as 'a Robin Hood who gave generously to the poor', 'dangerous' and 'a ladies' man', has been jailed in Singapore before for offences such as bribery and assault.