Double murder 'betting scam link'

Published: Thursday, 14 August 2008, 5:59PM

One of the victims of a double murder may have been involved in a betting scam, it has emerged.

Zhen Xing Yang and his girlfriend Xi Zhou, both 25, were found dead with horrific head injuries in their flat in Newcastle's West End on Saturday.

There is evidence Mr Yang, known as Kevin, was tortured for up to an hour before he died from multiple injuries. The couple's cat is also thought to have been drowned by their killers.

It has emerged Mr Yang placed adverts on UK-based Chinese-language websites to recruit people to watch football matches around the world.

An ad posted under the name CICI-UK, his girlfriend's nickname, on the powerappple website last October, said: "Work: watch football games and send live information to people.

"Requirement: Basic understanding of football rules, no professional background needed, advantage if you have a car."

In December he advertised for people in South America to do the same.

On January 5 2007 he posted on a Mandarin-language site: "Anyone want a 50/hr job? UK-based football 'information' company looking for live information from the Mexican League."

After the murders, internet posters on the site made a series of allegations about the couple.

One theory discussed online was that football matches shown on TV in China were a minute behind the live action in the stadium, so gambling syndicates would place employees at games to gain an advantage.

So many people were recruited to watch live games that the gambling bosses needed agents to manage them.

Internet rumours on the internet suggested Mr Yang was an agent and some of the employees were in dispute about missing payments.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: "We continue to look into the lifestyle of both victims and internet websites form part of this investigation."

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