Millions of hryvnias earned. The police exposed individuals involved in organizing fixed matches.
The Cyber Police uncovered groups that bribed players
With the participation of the Cyber Police, investigators from the National Police, and the Office of the Attorney General, several criminal groups have been uncovered using the National Integrity in Sports Platform.
Law enforcement halted the activities of these groups that bribed or coerced players to lose matches for the purpose of profiting from bets, knowing the results in advance. The organizers arranged agreements regarding matches in cyber football, cyber basketball, table tennis, football, and basketball, threatening betting companies.
The criminals earned illegal money through bets on the results of pre-arranged matches.
To attract more viewers and monetary bets, the organizers involved well-known athletes. This provided online broadcasts of 'purchased' matches for thousands of viewers. Some members of the group, who were well-known athletes, used their professional connections to organize 'fixed' matches between esports players from different countries.
The criminals used various pressure tactics on players, involving previously convicted individuals, including threats with weapons. About 10 players were affected. Sometimes they were even offered financial rewards for 'selling' matches.
Knowing the results of the matches in advance, the criminals placed bets on betting sites registered in various countries. This activity brought the criminals millions of hryvnias in profit.
After 45 searches across Ukraine, law enforcement collected material and digital evidence of the criminal group's illegal activities. One of the organizers of the 'purchased' matches became a suspect in influencing the results of sporting events. The investigation continues to identify all participants of the criminal groups and to ascertain the damage caused.
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