Police say 17 arrests in soccer match-fixing investigation, 200 games under suspicion

Police: 17 arrests in soccer match-fixing probe

FRANKFURT — German prosecutors investigating match-fixing in soccer say 15 people in Germany and two in Switzerland have been arrested and about 200 games in Europe are under suspicion.

Police said more than 50 raids have been conducted in Switzerland, Germany and Britain, and documents, $1.48 million in cash and other valuables have been seized.

Authorities believe they have arrested the leaders of the gang suspected of manipulating games to make money on betting. No identities were released, although they said about 200 people are involved.

Peter Limacher, UEFA’s representative who appeared at the news conference in Bochum, said he believed it was the biggest match-fixing scandal to hit Europe.

The betting leaders are suspected of bribing players, coaches, referees and other officials to fix games and believed to have made at least $14.82 million, according to Bochum’s police director Friedhelm Althans.

The investigation began in January and has been supported by UEFA, Europe’s governing body of soccer.

“UEFA will be demanding the harshest of sanctions before the competent courts for any individuals, clubs or officials who are implicated in this malpractice, be it under state or sports jurisdiction,” UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

Games in nine European countries are believed to have been manipulated, although none in England, Spain, Italy or France.

The suspected games in Germany were played in the second-division or lower. Other countries involved are Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia and Austria.

Among the games believed to have been manipulated are three Champions League games and 12 Europa League games, all this year. Prosecutors did not specify whether those were qualifying games or group-round matches.

The Berliner Morgenpost reported Thursday that Ante Sapina and his brother Milan were among five people arrested in Berlin. Ante Sapina’s lawyer Stefan Conen confirmed Friday that his client was in custody.

Ante Sapina was convicted of fraud in 2005 and sentenced to 35 months in prison for fixing or attempting to fix 23 games by paying German referee Robert Hoyzer to rig matches Sapina and his brothers bet on. Ante Sapina’s brothers Milan and Filip were given suspended sentences.