Brasileirão: Investigation of players suspected of match-fixing

Three suspects were arrested on Tuesday for collaborating with a gang that fixed the results of games in various divisions, including Brazil.

As part of the operation called “Maximum Punishment,” 20 search warrants and three preventive warrants were executed, in six states and 16 cities.

Four of the aforementioned targets are players suspected of fixing five matches of the main Brazilian championship, in 2022.

According to the Brazilian press, among the suspects is Kevin Lomonaco, an Argentine player with the Red Bull Bragantino team, who is coached by Portuguese Pedro Caixinha. Victor Ramos (Chapecoense), Igor Karres (Sport) and Gabriel Teuta (ex-Juventude) are the other players investigated, none of whom have been arrested.

According to the prosecution’s accusation, mafia members offered up to 100,000 riyals (about 18,000 euros) to football players to try to fix the outcome of some matches.

The indictment stated: “The investigation shows that the manipulations were varied and aimed, for example, to ensure that the player was marked with a yellow card or even sent off for committing a penalty in favor of the opposing team.”

Tuesday’s operation follows another operation that identified suspicions of match-fixing in the second division, which was opened after a Villa Nova player admitted to receiving an offer of 150,000 reais (about 28,000 euros) for a penalty kick in a match with Sport.

The former resulted in specific accusations against eight players from different clubs for being part of the match-fixing network, including Romário (Villa Nova), Josef (Tombense), Matocinho (Cuiaba) and Paolo Sérgio (Opera).