Legal compliance implications of Spanish police arresting 17 in match-fixing investigation

Managers and players of a third division RFEF team were arrested in Melilla and Granada, Spain. The arrests were part of a collaborative operation involving Europol, LaLiga, and Spain’s national police. In Melilla, 11 people were arrested, while six were arrested in Granada. The investigation started in February after the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) alerted the police about match-fixing alerts received. The DGOJ’s suspicions were based on multiple bets made from Melilla on specific football match results involving a Melilla-based team. LaLiga also raised concerns through its whistleblowing process, focusing on the previously suspected match-fixing activities and misuse of aid and subsidies by the Melilla team. A criminal network was uncovered during further investigation, revealing that the Melilla team president facilitated match-fixing activities and involved players in the scandal. Players used third parties to avoid being linked to bets and matches. The Melilla club was also found to have fraudulently received grants that increased over time. Currently, seven football matches are under investigation, and no further arrests are expected. The police cannot estimate the total amount defrauded from operators at this time. Spain’s national police initiated an investigation into potential betting fraud detected by the DGOJ in May, but it is unclear if it is related to this particular investigation.