Italian football leagues rocked by arrests of 50 match-fixing suspects

Italian police anti-corruption unit has arrested 50 people, including players, club officials and a Calabrian mobster in connection with accusations relating to match fixing. The arrests have been made in relation to a dozen investigated matches in Italian football’s third tier professional league.

Giving further detail regarding the arrests the Italian police said it had gained substantial evidence on the suspects following an investigation that had tapped the telephones of the Lannazzo mob family in Calabria.

Police across Italy arrested the suspects in the early hours of yesterday morning, Italian news sources have stated that up to 27 team presidents and club managers have been taken into custody. Investigators suspect 28 Lega Pro and Serie D matches from the 2014-15 season were rigged. Among those sought by police for bribing players and coaches were Serbs, Albanians and Maltese nationals.

Clubs affected and targeted by the arrests include Pro Patria, Barletta, Brindisi, L’Aquila, Neapolis, Mugnano, Torres, Vigor-Lametia, Santarcangelo, Sorrento, Montalto, Puteolana, Akragas and San Severo.