Four football clubs charged with match-fixing

The Center for Fighting Economic Crimes and Corruption initiated two sets of criminal proceedings against four football clubs: Zimbru Chisinau, Dacia Chisinau, FC Costuleni and Sfantul Gheorghe Suruceni, Info-Prim Neo reports. The first criminal case was initiated on charges of swindling and the second one on charges of abuse of office. According to CCCEC, judges and people related to the clubs are involved in the casesand they will be heard. “As a result of analyses received from UEFA and the statements of witnesses, these clubs are fixing matches”, interim head of the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office Viorel Morari declared at a press conference on Thursday, September 13. During the investigation, the prosecutors made searches at the sport complexes of these clubs and at some players’ homes, from where several objects were seized. According to investigators, the clubs negotiated the results of matches and the additional income of over €100,000 obtained from bookmakers, was shared between them. Moreover, the players betted as well, which is against the Ethics Code of the Moldovan Football Federation. “The matches fixed between 2010 and 2012 caused the Moldovan Football Federation losses of over 1 million lei. According to UEFA, Moldova is in the risk group as regards match-fixing”, added Viorel Morari. If found guilty, the involved people risk 8-15 years in jail for swindling and 3-7 years for abuse of office. The criminal investigation is run by 7 prosecutors, 14 officers and 35 operative agents, with a special work group created.