This Wednesday the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies appointed a commission that will investigate the case of rigging registered in soccer matches, in which mafias would have bribed players to earn money through sports betting.
Congressman Felipe Carreras, who will be in charge of leading the investigations, assured that they may be in the presence of the biggest scandal in Brazilian soccer.
The deputy said that the commission, which will act for 120 days, plans to convene the players involved, as well as the managers of the teams, the betting houses and members of the Brazilian Football Confederation.
The investigation carried out by the Goiás State Prosecutor’s Office estimates that at least 13 soccer matches played in 2022 and early 2023 were manipulated. Of the rigged matches, eight of them were from the first division.
The Brazilian justice system accepted the complaint filed by the Prosecutor’s Office against 16 involved, including seven soccer players, who charged up to $20,000 for committing penalties and receiving cards.
The idea of the bribes was to harm the teams and alter the results of the matches to the benefit of the bookmakers.
According to documents leaked by the Brazilian press, there are about 50 soccer players cited in the investigations, although the Prosecutor’s Office has only filed charges against seven.
Two first division teams, Athletico Paranaense and América, have terminated the contract of their respective players who were cited in the investigations, while other clubs have provisionally suspended those allegedly involved.
With information from EFE.
Keep reading:
