Pochettino's Espanyol embroiled in match fixing scandal
Football News - Corruption
There is a trial in Spain over match fixing in La Liga, The judge believes that there are indications that the Osasuna spent £645,240 (US$1.02m - AUS$1.31m - €900,000) to fix at least three games in the 2013/14 season.
It is alleged that Maurico Pochettino's former side Espanyol received £179,212 (US$284,488 - AUS$363,978 - €250,000) for playing out a draw, that Real Betis, newly promoted back to La Liga this season and having just signed former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, received £465,938 (US$739,837 - AUS$946,484 - €650,000) for two games.
One payment to Real Betis of £286,739 (US$485,244 - AUS$582,452 - €400,000) is alleged to have been for them to beat Valladolid and another £179,212 (US$284,488 - AUS$363,978 - €250,000) to lose to the club alleged to have given them the money, Osasuna.
The magistrate has ordered a partial lifting of reporting restrictions and is continuing to investigate other games where results may have been manipulated by Osasuna. Investigations continue as the Spanish judge tries to find the £1.72 million (US$2.73m - AUS$3.51m - €2.4m) in cash withdrawn from the club's accounts.
In further corruption news, the owner of Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus, Evangelos Marinakis, has been banned from all football related activities amid accusations of a criminal organisation controlling the domestic game.
he has been ordered to report to Police every 15 days and is on strict bail terms. The shipping magnate gave evidence in a seven-hour hearing to Athens prosecutor George Andreadis and paid a
£143,387 (US$227,430 - AUS$291,223 - €200,000) bail fee after giving testimony.
Andreadis is accused of being involved in and directing a criminal organisation, aiding and abetting blackmailing, aiding and abetting extortion, and aiding and abetting bribery and fraud. He can retain ownership of Olympiakos but must resign as president
Back to Spain and there is another case against Neymar and former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Judge José de la Mata has agreed to hear the case launched by investment fund DIS against the pair. DIS is seeking damages for fraud and deceit over the deal that took the Brazilian striker to the Camp Nou.
The lawsuit also names the two clubs involved (Barcelona and Santos), Bartomeu's predecessor Sandro Rosell, Neymar's father, and former Santos directors Luis Álvaro de Oliveira and Odílio Rodrigues.
Barcelona of course are currently under a transfer embargo which doesn't end until January and Real Madrid have also been under investigation over the signing of youth players.
I reported on the corruption and intimidation in Italy recently where the home of the Lazio president, Claudio Lotito, was searched and the offices of the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) searched. The alleged offences concern alleged threats over federation funding granted to soccer clubs.
In a separate investigation police in Italy have made 17 arrests as part of a betting-related match-fixing investigation. A third tier side, Terano, are believed to have paid a bribe on the final day of the season to ensure their promotion to Serie B and investigations are on-going.
There is a trial in Spain over match fixing in La Liga, The judge believes that there are indications that the Osasuna spent £645,240 (US$1.02m - AUS$1.31m - €900,000) to fix at least three games in the 2013/14 season.
It is alleged that Maurico Pochettino's former side Espanyol received £179,212 (US$284,488 - AUS$363,978 - €250,000) for playing out a draw, that Real Betis, newly promoted back to La Liga this season and having just signed former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart, received £465,938 (US$739,837 - AUS$946,484 - €650,000) for two games.
One payment to Real Betis of £286,739 (US$485,244 - AUS$582,452 - €400,000) is alleged to have been for them to beat Valladolid and another £179,212 (US$284,488 - AUS$363,978 - €250,000) to lose to the club alleged to have given them the money, Osasuna.
The magistrate has ordered a partial lifting of reporting restrictions and is continuing to investigate other games where results may have been manipulated by Osasuna. Investigations continue as the Spanish judge tries to find the £1.72 million (US$2.73m - AUS$3.51m - €2.4m) in cash withdrawn from the club's accounts.
In further corruption news, the owner of Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus, Evangelos Marinakis, has been banned from all football related activities amid accusations of a criminal organisation controlling the domestic game.
he has been ordered to report to Police every 15 days and is on strict bail terms. The shipping magnate gave evidence in a seven-hour hearing to Athens prosecutor George Andreadis and paid a
£143,387 (US$227,430 - AUS$291,223 - €200,000) bail fee after giving testimony.
Andreadis is accused of being involved in and directing a criminal organisation, aiding and abetting blackmailing, aiding and abetting extortion, and aiding and abetting bribery and fraud. He can retain ownership of Olympiakos but must resign as president
Back to Spain and there is another case against Neymar and former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu. Judge José de la Mata has agreed to hear the case launched by investment fund DIS against the pair. DIS is seeking damages for fraud and deceit over the deal that took the Brazilian striker to the Camp Nou.
The lawsuit also names the two clubs involved (Barcelona and Santos), Bartomeu's predecessor Sandro Rosell, Neymar's father, and former Santos directors Luis Álvaro de Oliveira and Odílio Rodrigues.
Barcelona of course are currently under a transfer embargo which doesn't end until January and Real Madrid have also been under investigation over the signing of youth players.
I reported on the corruption and intimidation in Italy recently where the home of the Lazio president, Claudio Lotito, was searched and the offices of the Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) searched. The alleged offences concern alleged threats over federation funding granted to soccer clubs.
In a separate investigation police in Italy have made 17 arrests as part of a betting-related match-fixing investigation. A third tier side, Terano, are believed to have paid a bribe on the final day of the season to ensure their promotion to Serie B and investigations are on-going.
Corruption news wouldn't be corruption news if we didn't mention FIFA.
Swiss banks have uncovered 53 cases of suspected money laundering plus the fixing if the draws for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Sepp Blatter appears to looking into ways of hanging onto power, he has suggested he won't leave until a suitable replacement id found having apparently been asked by African and Asian representatives not to go.
Switzerland's attorney general, Michael Lauber recently revealed that prosecutors may interrogate the FIFA president and secretary general Jérôme Valcke, another trying to cling hold of power.
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