Match-fixing is not a problem exclusive to Brazil and has been growing exponentially as sports betting is gaining more and more followers. This criminal practice is one of the biggest problems present in the sport today, affecting, mainly, its integrity.
Genius Sports is a data collection and technology company providing integrity services to numerous leagues and associations around the world, including the Premier League. With its advanced technology and huge database, it manages to monitor in real time the markets offered by bookmakers globally, allowing it to identify when the volume of bets on any event is out of line with the usual and, with that, notify the competent authorities to further investigation into the possibility that a sporting event is being manipulated.
The operation, called 'Maximum Penalty', was carried out in six cities: Goiânia (GO), São João del-Rei (MG), Cuiabá (MT), São Paulo (SP), São Bernardo do Campo (SP) and Porciúncula (RJ). The MPGO did not say whether anyone was detained.
For sports law specialist Eduardo Ambiel, partner at Tancler Ambiel Advogados, "the practice has currently been denounced, including by the Goiás Public Prosecutor's Office and other competent authorities, and takes place through online betting platforms, which are based and outside Brazil. Thus, Brazilian gamblers make use of criminal association in order to combine results and offer cash advantage to athletes who adhere to the scheme, in the so-called match fixing."
Nine search and seizure warrants and one arrest warrant were issued by the 2nd State Court for Crimes Committed by Criminal Organization and Laundering or Concealment of Assets, Rights and Values. It was not known whether any of the suspects were arrested.
According to the MPGO, the manipulations occurred, for example, with the negotiation for players to commit a penalty in the first half of the matches. The players involved received part of the winnings, if the request was successfully fulfilled. Each athlete won approximately R$ 150,000 (US$ 29,000) per bet.
Investigators said that punters made matched bets on penalties in three games: Vila Nova x Sport, Tombense x Criciúma and Sampaio Correia x Londrina. The three matches under consideration took place in the 38th round of Série B, on November 6th.
In the first half of the match Sampaio Corrêa x Londrina, there was a penalty for Londrina, which was scored using video (VAR). The same happened in the match Criciúma x Tombense.
In an official statement, Vila Nova and Sampaio Corrêa, two of the clubs with players involved in the scheme, said they support the investigations.
Of these three matches, only in Vila Nova x Sport there was no penalty. In view of the lack of success, the Vila player who participated in the scheme began to be harassed by the group, since he would have received a down payment of R$ 10,000 (US$ 1,900). Vila Nova acts as a complainant in the case.
Those involved may be liable for various crimes, including criminal association, concealing or disguising the origin of assets and giving or promising a patrimonial advantage, or not, in order to alter or falsify the result of a sports competition.
Source: Tancler Ambiel Advogados / Lei em Campo
