tagged: China, fixed soccer matches, fraud, Greece, Greek Soccer, illegal betting, international, Malaysia, scandal, UEFA

Big Scale Match-Fixing Scandal Blows and Sweeps Greek Soccer

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Sports

A legal file with 93,000 pages, powerful names of local soccer officials,  at least 90 suspects and 41 fixed matches are reportedly involved the big scale scandal that sweeps through the Greek soccer and shakes the county. Presidents of Football Clubs, referees, soccer players and bookmakers they give the jack of the porsecutors’ door in the hand. A legal investigation carried out by the police, the financial crimes units and the National Intelligence service opened the abscess of local and international illegal betting and fixed matches that trafficked millions and millions of euros worldwide. Form the information leaked to the press until now, the scandal involves the Football League. 

 For the time being police has detained more than 1o people, and their  official arrest is expected to be announced within the next hours. 

The investigation continues across the country in Athens and Thessaloniki but also in other cities and islands, like Corfu and Kavala.

Greek media report that involved in the scandal are at least three FC presidents,  technical directors, managers, bookmakers, soccer and even basket players, some of them with international fame.

The indictment contains charges of  establishment of criminal organisation and gang, money laundering, betting fraud, fraud against the state and possible blackmail.

The investigation started in December 2008 after UEFA took under the microscope 41 soccer matches and online betting companies.  The investigation took place in cooperation  of  Greece’s police, financial crime units and National Intelligence seervice  that facilitated the bugging of telephone conversations.

There are reports that one better earned 1,6 million euro just from one soccer match.  As the illegal betting had international tentacles it is rumored that somebody in Malaysia earned 13 million euros within one day.

The scandal is gives a big blow to Greek soccer with punishments to Football Clubs to be announced after the investigation is concluded. But it gives also an opportunity to finally clear the Greek soccer from illegal activities as the rumors have been circulating for years.

As there are not official announcements from the prosecutor until now, keep tuned with “Keep Tlaking Greece” for updates.