Often Partisan

Carson Freed

As reported extensively by other outlets, former President of Birmingham City FC and Chairman of Birmingham International Holdings Carson Yeung was this morning freed on bail pending his appeal to the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong.

South China Morning Post confirms that Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma Tao-li has released Carson on HK$7million bail and ordered that Carson surrenders travel documents in order he stays in Hong Kong.

This is bad news, isn’t it? He’s going to come back to BIH?

Carson cannot walk straight back into BIH as he no longer has control there. Recent court cases have confirmed Ernst and Young’s powers at BIH and there is very little that Carson can do to change that without going through more legal process.

In some ways this can be seen as good news. While Carson was in prison access to him was very limited and news of what was happening was going through very tight channels. With him now on the outside it might now be possible to deal with Carson without the interference of middle men who might have a separate agenda and as such, it may be easier for Ernst and Young to sort things out further.

What does this mean for his case?

The fact Carson has been released on bail is the strongest indicator yet that he will potentially get his conviction overturned in the Court of Final Appeal. The money laundering law in Hong Kong has been tested a lot of late due to it’s draconian nature and the lack of effort that the prosecution put into finding where the money came from will now massively affect Carson’s chances of getting his conviction quashed.

This should come as no surprise to readers of Often Partisan as my colleague in Hong Kong, Will Giles has continually emphasised that the Court of Final Appeal would be likely to take this course of action.

What does this mean for Blues?

In the short term, nothing. For every person who thinks Carson will now try harder to get the club back there must be the realisation that Carson’s access to money has diminished severely and while I suspect he still has “backers” I don’t honestly know how much of that money can be used to pay lawyers and other institutions with strict safeguards.

Edit – the date of the appeal hearing in the Court of Final Appeal is May 31, 2016

 

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78 Responses to “Carson Freed”

  • DaveBCFC says:

    This is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end, but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

  • Preston Bob says:

    I am really disappointed to hear Carson has been let out and worried in case his conviction is quashed. We finally seem to be moving forward and don’t like the idea of Carson further contesting the impending sale of the club. hopefully the NDA is binding between TT and BIHL rather than TT and Ernst and Young?
    There are too many Young and Yeungs in the saga so we need to get rid of the one with the ‘E’ in it!

  • Emma says:

    The fear of god come over me when I read this just, my heart sank but then I read the blog and thought about it. What possibly can Carson do to is that he hasn’t done already, we’ve been dragged through the mud and bcfc will come out on top in the end. Ernst and young will sort this mess. Come on KRO we will always be here forever blue

  • Walker says:

    Maybe he dropped the soap too many times in prison

  • peter bates says:

    This was going to happen eventually but it seems to me that his release isn’t going to be a walk in the park no way of leaving the country report to the police 3times a week he can’t have too much money left and trying to take e & y on on all fronts if he’s got the financial clout to do it and as Daniel said its going to be a lot easier for e y to talk and make contact with him my opinion this really could be the beginning of the end

  • Spanish Blue says:

    I am glad Carson is out. From what I heard he was stitched up anyway. It is clear that he would not have wanted to be banged up for any reason, and NEVER forget, he was the best owner we EVER had, giving us a cup and ploughing money into the club like NO ONE has ever done before.

  • ChrisG says:

    CY has made it his intention all along that he won’t let go of BCFC or BIH lightly, common sence says he should sort things out with E&Y asap & move on, but I don’t think he will make it that easy & i’m sure he’s still got at least one card up his sleeve. I really hope i’m wrong ( I Usually am!! ), but I don’t think we’ve seen the last of this soap opera

  • rhees says:

    Hopefully he will do a deal with e,y and walk away with as much as he can and let blues go
    Doubt it though

  • peter bates says:

    I can’t see Carson being welcomed back to St Andrews he won’t get control of bih again unless he gets rid of e & y and they were court appointed so as far as I can see his options are limited let’s hope the receivers finish there work and a satisfactory outcome is achieved let’s hope for a good result at Burnley kro

  • So we have suffered losing £50,000,000 worth of players and untold stress for over three years for what,,

    • almajir says:

      Did you read the article?

      • Moozer says:

        That strikes me as an odd response. Surely an overturned conviction means that all the disruption and struggle in the interim needn’t have happened and we’ve suffered due to a flawed legal system? That point is not addressed by your article, so what am I missing?

      • Moozer says:

        Come on now, it’s a valid question and this article doesn’t actually address it.

        • Moozer says:

          I’m not impatient, I just have a baby and a dodgy internet connection so didn’t think the first comment went through

          • almajir says:

            No, you haven’t commented before and therefore your comment was held for moderation.

            The article doesn’t address what? I agree that Carson’s trial was flawed – as someone who actually sat through most of the hearings I can tell you it was difficult for us in the courtroom to see what he was guilty of apart from having a lot of money going through his accounts and that’s not a criminal offence – the article was specifically about Carson’s bail hearing, which is likely to lead to a successful appeal hearing.

            However, the issues Blues have faced are not solely down to Carson being incarcerated – there is much more to it than that – it’s a complex issue and in honesty it’s a simplistic comment that can’t be answered in the way you want it to be. I don’t think Blues have sold as much as “50million” worth of players – I think if anything relegation from the Premier League caused much of our money woes and for that I think a fair portion of the blame has to go back to McLeish and the players…

          • Moozer says:

            I can tell that years of moderating a comments section have taken their toll on you: we’re not all out to be combative. I’m genuinely interested in the ‘more to it’ and your opinion on the matter as it’s not a perspective I’d considered before. For all I tend to enjoy your blog I often glaze over the details where the BIH palaver is concerned because I find the whole situation helpless and, frankly, a little tedious.

            By the same token, I don’t think your article really covered the original chap’s question in the way that your first response indicates you thought it did; but then comments sections are worse given that text communication really doesn’t do anyone any favours.

            Well done on the blog, by the way, I’m pleased to see it grow in stature the way it has.

          • almajir says:

            Fair comment

            If you’re interested in the full story I know someone wrote a book examining the whole Carson thing in great detail – that might give a better explanation. ;)

            The truth is it’s a very complex tale – and I can’t simplify down to one comment. It kinda grieves me that people are a bit one-eyed about the whole Carson thing – yes, what happened to BCFC over the last few years as been execrable (my word of the day, thank you Brian Dick) but that shouldn’t mean we are against justice being correctly served.

  • Richard Granfield says:

    I bet Carson’s first act on release will be to head to a hairdressers to have his hair dyed black.

  • Will says:

    Clowns to the left of us, jokers to the right here we are stuck in the middle of …..

  • Hartyblue says:

    In other news Novak has gone on a season long loan that’s good news maybe a bit more money for wages

  • Bluey says:

    I said ages ago that we ain`t seen the last of CY. He will fight tooth and nail to regain his assets and i can envisage that happening. The receivers cannot stay around forever (although it feels like they already have) and i`m sure Mr Yeung is already preparing his tactics to become head honcho once again. Look out for Pannu to show his face in the next couple of weeks also. BIHL will be owners of BCFC for many years imho.

    • almajir says:

      The idea is the Receivers are facilitating the sale of BIH/BCFC to someone who isn’t Carson. Therefore they don’t need to stay around “forever”…

  • Richard Granfield says:

    I wish Lee Novak well with his season long loan to Chesterfield.
    Novak only played 25 games in all competitions last season scoring 2 goals so he needs regular first team football.
    Gary is slowly but surely letting Lee Clark’s purchases he doesn’t want leave. Hopefully replacing them with his first choices.

  • Richard C says:

    I dont think its cut and dried iether.im sure the prosecution will be asking for retrial under the current law for laundering if he is cleared because of flaws in the previous legislation.
    and even if he is eventually cleared he will be returning to an empty stadium so a wise man would take his money now .

  • Dave Mann says:

    Carson yeung out of prison , through to the second round of the cup and as from 12.30 tomorrow we’re be top of the championship on the live table … What a first week of the season !! Kro

  • Mitchell says:

    Lee Novak has virtually signed on a free transfer as his contract ends next June. Feel now that only Thomas remains which indicates two strikers coming in. Just a look ahead to Burnley. They have defensive probs.with injuries and non prolific strikers. Getting a point may be only the start. Let’s hope so.

  • bluedean1875 says:

    In a way I have to agree with the poster above William Morgan. In no way shape or form am I a CY fan but the last 3 years of mess has come from his arrest and freezing of assets. Lets look an alternative future from that point in the timeline. What if he spent money getting us back to the Premiership that 1st season would there be all the anti CY feeling. No. No one would have given it a 2nd thought about the yo yo affect we had with the previous owners. Now if he is found not guilty can we get the players we have sold back. NO. I hope someone in HK is going to reimburse the club for the potential profit we could have had if we had gotten back to the PL

  • swissjonny says:

    Bluedean believe me if CY gets off the litigation flying around will be huge.I think that the chances are now 55-45 in his favour.Knowing at least one of the judges at the court of final appeal he will really have to have his ducks in a line to walk free.However his Barrister is very well rated and HK right now wants to show how independent it is at every possible juncture.His timing couldnt be better.It would not be unimaginable that if CY gets off many off his friends and associates would wish to back him financially in a show of solidarity.He has some pretty minted mates who also have some influence.I dont think we have heard the last of him by any stretch of the imagination.KRO and lets get another 3 points on the board.

  • Stevio11 says:

    Carson, somebody elses front man

  • Dave Mann says:

    It’s all IFS is it not ?.. If Carson yeung would not have been arrested would we be where we are now , no propably not, would we have to sell all our premiership players and carling cup winners , propably not.. if he’s found not guilty by the final court of appeal will we be compensated for the misery this case as caused our club , propably not, If Carson yeung came back to Blues as an innocent man would he be welcome , propably not !! Kro

  • Dave Mann says:

    Probably , sorry . Kro

  • John says:

    E&Y will remain firmly in control imo. E&Y have also had access to most, if not all, BIHL paperwork (limited as it is!) and been able to track monies, transfers, share purchases/sales & HKSE notifications. This paperwork ‘access’ has led to the ‘discovery’ of many ‘errors’ which are gradually being sorted.
    CY could now run out of money with his (and PP’s) ‘access’ to BIHL/BCFC funds having been removed.
    We know it’s going to take time for Blues to be removed from the BIHL entanglement, but removal will occur.
    Patience will be required, but BIHL/BCFC could not be in better hands than E&Y. Keep the faith.
    KRO

  • StaffsBlue says:

    I was interested to hear Rowett’s thoughts on Yeung maybe interferring… and was pleased with his (veiled) threat towards any interferrance. Good for him.

  • atko says:

    I think most people on here would welcome Carson back if he started to invest heavily in the team which to use a phrase Dan used earlier in the week shows how fickle football fans are. The one person I would want nothing to do with is Pannu! In my opinion, what went on surrounding his conviction is Carson’s problem as it was prior to purchasing Blues & it was down to him to sort out. We knew that right from the start! The biggest error he made was putting Pannu in charge of this football club! There is no way we would be in this situation now if we had Panos in charge from the start in my opinion & I’m sure many others would agree. I’d be interested to know if CY shares my opinion now!

  • ian ambrose says:

    Carson will pay off or sell the blues club ????? what do carson doing next??????… No waste time!!!..Must listen to GARY ROWETTS needing more new players and stay up PLUS bring blues fans bring on here!!!!!!

  • bluedean1875 says:

    Swiss
    Exactly my point that if he gets off I think there will be a groundswell of support from his mates. I have spent the last 18 months in Shanghai. The Chinese do not like to lose face and if anyone has been treated “disrespectively” there is a clamour to help the person restore his credibility. As another poster further down says “fans are fickle” and I believe that’s the case. If Carson came back with backers and promised and delivered we would be the next Man City there would be no chants about “we don’t care about Carson”, believe me! Also something I heard out here a few weeks ago. TTA is only a vehicle for looking at selling BCFC/BIHL on at a price so this Paul Shen (Chen?) can make a quick buck and is friendly with E&Y. Imagine this. TTA then sells to the highest bidder who could be Carson’s mates and in turn put him up for Chairman again!! And the football league could do nothing about it because Carson will not fail the fit and proper test

  • Dave Mann says:

    SOME football fans are fickle but I can assure you ime not one of them because ime a supporter as well as a fan .. Carson yeung as got as much chance as getting Blues back as I have of going to Vile park tonight to watch the shite against Man.U… It ain’t happening so stop blabbing on about it because your so way of the mark it’s redicuolous .. Open arms for Carson!! … Go down St. Andrews now and again and to the odd away game and you will see how fickle SUPPORTERS are.. Really!! Kro

    • bluedean1875 says:

      Dave I was making a observation. I too have a right to an opinion and I go down to matches when I can. From comments below you say you make comments because you can. Hypocrisy comes to mind!!

    • almajir says:

      Dave

      I disagree completely. I think if Carson came back with 100million (and spent it) people would soon forget the past few years. Football fans in the main ARE that fickle – most don’t care about what happens off the pitch as long as the stuff on it is good.

      • Matt says:

        Would you forgive him if he spent 100m?

        • almajir says:

          Personally?

          It’s not about “forgiving” him – I think matters are too complex to blame him solely for the issues the club has faced and I don’t see it as black and white as many. However, that being said – I think it would be better for all concerned if he walked away – him included. Trying to come back, let alone coming back to StAns isn’t going to do him any favours let alone us and I think he should understand he blew his chance by not taking a step back as soon as he was arrested.

    • bluedean1875 says:

      And it’s I am not ime and ridiculous not redicolous if you want to have a mature conversation. FYI I was a season ticket holder for 20 years until 2 years ago, went to around 10 away matches per season and as Dan knows help set up the blues trust. So no part time supporter not that I should have to explain myself to you!!

  • peter bates says:

    Well said Dave I will always love the blues no matter what but if Carson yeung bought one hundred million worth of players he wouldn’t get no welcome back from me when he bought blues we were a well run club with very little debt he put his people in and all they have done was bleed the club dry let’s hope all proper fans support Ernst and young and the decisions they make Carson yeung peter pannu and all the parasites that want to be with them go and leach from somebody else your not wanted by a big majority of proper blues fans

  • Dave Mann says:

    Exactly pete , the problem is that I will not be told by anyone who plays part time supporter that they know what the real fans think .. There the fickle ones and if they think that we’re welcome back Carson Yeung then it just shows how way of they are from the real blues world .. Pathetic really and I find it even totally embarasing to after respond to such I nature comments ! Kro

  • Dave Mann says:

    Such imature comments . Sorry again!

    • atko says:

      It was a general statement Dave like Dan’s reference earlier in the week to which you didn’t get all worked up about then so why so now? Could it be that the comment wasn’t made by OP? I couldn’t care less who invests In the club as long as someone does legitimately. Is this news going to make a difference? Things are probably going to take a lot longer now than anticipated unless they can actually get round a table now & thrash it all out so I guess we’ll have to watch this space as we know in HK anything can happen from one day to the next!

      • Dave Mann says:

        Because I can and I have the right ok .kro

        • atko says:

          Like everyone else has too so do not call people immature for having an opinion that does not match your own! Thanks stinks of immaturity in itself!!

          • atko says:

            *That

            Stupid predictive text. We all have a right to an opinion without getting worked up about it & nobody’s opinion is any better than the last persons. We just have to agree to disagree on certain points. We all agree on one thing in the end & that’s success for Blues both on & off the pitch no matter how it happens!

        • almajir says:

          Actually Dave, you don’t. You need to remember this is my website and I would please ask you to be civil in your responses. I don’t need to spend time monitoring and deleting comments and if I’m forced to stop bickering for too long I’ll just turn them off.

  • Mitchell says:

    We are getting a bit agitated now regarding CY. I don’t like to see Mr.Mann venting his anger on part time supporters, although I understand his point. We need Dave to firstly enjoy tonight’s Man.Utd win and then for him to enjoy The match tomorrow sitting in his away seat with his usual King Edward cigar. Now that’s how to start the weekend!.

    • atko says:

      The thing is Mitchell, he doesn’t know who he is venting his anger at so accusing everyone of being a part time supporter because they don’t agree with his point of view is, as he has accused others of being, immature. Sure it would be a pretty boring world if we all never had a difference of opinion but there is such a thing as respect!

  • blue says:

    always had sympathy for Carson,and seeing his changed appearance only strengthens that,i wouldn’t have recognized him and I’ll always have the memory of the cup. For what ever reason though he put PP1 in charge and for that and everything our club’s been through because of that decision,i hope he just sells his shares and goes away quietly and enjoy his freedom.

  • Dave Mann says:

    Mitchell , I don’t smoke but yes let’s start with the Man U beating the scum bags tonight and then tomorrow ime off to Burnley and looking forward to a good performance and even a draw will put us top of the league for at least 2/3 hours so cushty .. My weekends are Blues rated , it’s just ashame that it’s not universal .. Though I can understand why people want to spend the weekends with there loved ones .. I do . My wife and son , who also come to all the games with me are by my side.. It’s easy for me because i spend a game with the three most important things in my life , my son, my wife and my football club .. Sad really ..is it shit!!! Kro

    Ty

  • kirkus says:

    He will rise like a phoenix from the ashes and once again take us to the top table!!!

  • roy aspley says:

    I have a funny feeling that Carson may soon be “sleeping with the fish”

  • Tony says:

    Getting back to Novak, now I regard him as a poor player not good enough for the championship ,, however following on from E dgars departure we are now a forward short, as well as a defender.
    One can only hope GR has some replacements ready to sign because if not questions will have to be asked.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    If E&Y and Mr Pavlakis have done their jobs to the best of their ability, hopefully we’ll be shot of the old regime sometime in the not-to-distant future. Hopefully, Yeung will just be another name from the past. Even if he isn’t, there’s not a lot we can do about it, so, I’m not particularly concerned about him being released. Que sera, sera.

    Anyway, forget all that for now… and let’s give Mr Rowett and the lads the support they need to continue the good form. KRO!

  • Gerard says:

    all this infighting and politics over CY is possibly putting a smile on his face as you are making him the centre attention ask yourselves why? leave everything to EY- and Panos off the pitch and Gr on it as simple as that the more you draw attention to the to CY the more you focus away from what matters most on the pitch at BCFC- please bury your differences yes we all have opinions but most of all we are bluenoses proud supporters of BCFC- first and foremost.
    Anyway the Vile Bile lost a good start to the weekend- one of there fans on the way interviewed on BBC tv said they were beaten by a lucky goal typical crap from crap fans- if they the Vile had scored it they would have claimed it as world class- somet hings never change, remember BCF have to do twice as much good to get half the recognition of the crap across the city

  • Dave Mann says:

    Ime as critical as most on here Gerard but I agree that when it comes to the old regime we all have our own opinions on what we would think but there’s no way that I personally as I am not as fickle as some fans would welcome Carson yeung back even with £100 million pounds to spend and I speak for most the fans I travel with all over the country including today’s visit to Burnley … Guilty or not guilty we’ve suffered ten fold from this cancer and I for one don’t forgive and forget easily and my memory will not be turned by what’s happened since the summer of 2011 .. My opinion and I do realise that other fans will think differently but that’s there prerogative I suppose . Kro

  • poppa999 says:

    What happens if his appeal is dismissed? Do they continue with the original sentence until it ends? I’d do one if I was him.

  • swissjonny says:

    Fellow sufferers in the faith.Let us forget the CY issue today and concentrate on 3 points.Come on you blue boys!!!!

    • Shirley Blue says:

      Yep Burnley are beatable but I would happily settle for a point now. I guess the big selection dilemma will be over Morrison today. If he felt his hamstring on Tuesday do you start him today and risk him being out for a couple of months if it goes big time. We really need him today but it’s only a single game and with the Brentford game postponed he has more recovery time. Tricky one – glad I haven’t got to make the call.

  • bluenose42 says:

    I said when he first bought Blues to anyone who would listen to me (a mere woman)He will bring nothing but trouble for us and I was right! let’s hope E. And Y can get him to sell and the we can KRO

  • Gerard says:

    to Dave Mann- and others who think the same-CY personally I think never regardless of he put £50m into club- reason because CY- does everything first for himself also I never forget -forgive in his case never- at 65 years old fit healthy and a good brain I tend to look forward not backwards but learn from the lessons of the past –Bham City would never be the same again if he came back- I would have to ask myself many questions on a CY return in the end after 57 years of support I would not support anything run by him simple as that -as I said let us know concentrate on the field in the hope that off the field EY will banish CY forever

  • mark says:

    bye then gerard and good luck,…because if he banked rolled to the premiership you wont be there……wonderful…..i would rather have people who want to be at the stans……haha..

    And justice will probably will be served…..

  • BhamCityJulian says:

    The moment his assets were frozen which meant he couldn’t support the club, he ahluld have don’t the right and honorable thing and sold ip


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