Police uncover match fixing

A JOINT investigation involving the National Police, LaLiga and Europol, has uncovered a criminal organisation specialising in matchfixing.

A report from the National Police on Thursday, July 27 revealed how they investigated a criminal organisation dedicated to matchfixing within the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Together with LaLiga and Europol, officers of the National Police arrested a total of 17 people. In Melilla, 11 suspects were detained and six in Granada.

Among those arrested were officials and players of a third division RFEF football team, for allegedly committing the crimes of belonging to a criminal organisation, corruption between private individuals in the field of sport, fraud, money laundering and false documentation.

The investigation began last February when the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling, informed officers of several alerts received from different online gambling platforms. Multiple bets had been placed from Melilla on specific results of football matches played by a team from the city.

Simultaneously, LaLiga reported an anonymous communication received through its whistleblower channel, in which they reported suspicious practices of the same football team.

Investigators soon uncovered a complex criminal network, showing that the president of the team himself, managed the rigging, by involving players he trusted. The players also used third parties to place the bets and thus avoid be­ ing linked to the bets placed and the matches played.

Police investigations also showed that the same sports club has been the beneficiary of subsidies which were used fraudulently to increase the amounts to be collected.

Seven football matches are still being investigated and further arrests have not been ruled out, and the total amount swindled from the bookmakers cannot yet be quantified.

PRODUCTS SEIZED: Unfit for human consumption.