FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Milan's financial police have seized 1.5 million euros and requested house arrest for five people involved in an illegal online betting network.
A new case involving at least 12 Serie A footballers and other athletes, investigated for playing on illegal betting and poker platforms and for advertising them among other footballers.
Security measures for the five suspects have been requested by prosecutors Paolo Filippini and Roberta Amadeo.
As reported by Corriere della Sera, they are Tommaso De Giacomo and Patrick Fizzera, believed to be the managers of illegal betting platforms, and Antonio Scinoça, Antonio Parise and Andrea Picchini, three administrators of a jewelry store in Milan used as a kind of "bank" to secretly manage betting accounts and betting debts.
The investigation began with the mobile phones of two footballers, former Milan player Sandro Tonali, who now plays for Newcastle, and former Juve player Nicolò Fagioli, currently at Fiorentina, who are said to have played a key role in advertising the sites.
" Nicolò Fagioli and Sandro Tonali, according to the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, in addition to having placed numerous bets on the platforms, appear to have acted, on the other hand, as bet aggregators, since they were responsible for the dissemination and advertising of these illegal platforms, acting as intermediaries for the opening or loading of other betting accounts. even in cash, in light of this facilitating activity, the Newcastle footballer and his colleague who plays for Fiorentina appear to have been rewarded through the recognition of bonuses in their gaming accounts or with a reduction in the debt incurred by the bets.
From the conversations, which relate to the period December 2021-October 2023, it emerged that some athletes have placed bets on illegal sites.
The bets were not placed to "sell" their matches or to enrich their already disproportionate bank accounts, but for the hobby ."
Jewelry store used as a "bank"
Also involved was a jewelry store in Milan, Elysium in via Pergolesi, through which the money was paid, claiming to be paying bills for luxury watches, while in fact the transfers were used to settle debts with bookmakers.
The wealthiest clients, footballers and others, were given large amounts of credit by the organizers, who then directed them to the jewelry store where they could pay with a bank transfer for a "phantom" Rolex, which nevertheless remained in the store.
With this trick, gamblers can pay off their debts by simulating a purchase and without attracting attention.
The three administrators are accused of money laundering, while the two platform managers are accused of illegal betting operations.
Footballers involved
According to the investigation, the players did not place bets on their matches or on football in general. But illegal platforms, such as Betsport22.com, Swapbet365.eu, Vipsport360.com, Texinho.com, were used to place bets on other sports or to play online poker.
Tonali and Fagioli, who have already settled their scores with the justice system with a long disqualification, are under investigation for betting on illegal platforms. The other athletes are instead being investigated for "participation in illegal platforms, not in football betting, but in games not authorized by the Customs and Monopolies Agency", such as poker, with the organizers having set up "private rooms" and locked them with passwords, to which only certain players can access.
According to Corriere, among them are Alessandro Florenzi, formerly of Roma and now of Milan, Nicolò Zaniolo, formerly of Roma and Atalanta, now of Fiorentina, Juventus players Mattia Perin and Weston McKennie, and former Juve Argentines Angel Di Maria and Leandro Parede.
Midfielder Samuele Riçi, Padova striker Cristian Buonaiuto, Parma attacking winger Matteo Cancellieri and Dominican defender Adames Hector Junior Firpo, who plays for Leeds, in England.
Lini një Përgjigje