LYON, France -- The Spanish National Police have dismantled an organized crime group dedicated to match-fixing in the Royal Spanish Football Federation and Gibraltar National League. This highly-structured network is thought to have made more than EUR 500,000 in profits, mostly on activities linked to the Third Division.
Authorities arrested 21 people and an additional six are under investigation for organized crime, corruption and defrauding gambling operators. They also seized EUR 60,000 in cash, two vehicles, mobile devices and computer equipment
The criminal organization had a specific modus operandi based on well-established roles: two ‘leaders’ benefitting from close connections to professional football, football players who provided confidential information in order to influence matches, procurers responsible for providing identities for online gambling and mules who would place sports bets and collect prize money.
Members of the network were careful to use encrypted communications, a mix of in-person and online betting, and placing bets in instalments in order to avoid police detection.
INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre deployed specialized officers to provide on-the-spot operational and analytical support, cross-check data against INTERPOL’s databases and investigate any international links.
INTERPOL’s Match-Fixing Task Force will continue to analyse information and leverage its international network of experts as the investigation progresses.
