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Brazil Justice Minister Flavio Dino ordered the
federal police to launch an investigation into the scheme after
the charging documents were published on Wednesday.
Prosecutors of the Public Ministry of Goias said the alleged
offenses took place in 13 matches in Series A and B of the
Brazilian Championship, including eight played in 2022.
According to the charging documents, a criminal gang paid
players to commit infractions, and would then bet on such
outcomes to win payouts when the offenses occurred.
The group would offer up to 500,000 reais ($100,000) as an
upfront payment to the players from clubs such as Santos,
Juventude, Cuiaba, Cruzeiro, Athletico Paranaense, Internacional
and Fluminense, the prosecutors alleged.
Santos defender Eduardo Bauermann is accused of receiving at
least 50,000 reais ($10,000) to get a yellow card in a match
against Aval last year, according to the documents.
Gabriel Tota, Paulo Miranda, Igor Carius, Victor Ramos, Fernando
Neto and Matheus Gomes are among the other players charged,
according to the documents.
The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) sent a letter to the
Presidency of the Republic and the Ministry of Justice,
requesting that the federal police be involved in the case,
saying there is no possibility of the current competition being
suspended.
"I've been working together with FIFA, as well as Brazilian
clubs and Federations, with the aim of combating all types of
crime, fraud or illicit action within football," CBF president
Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement. "Those who commit crimes
should not be part of Brazilian and world football."
Sports betting has been legal in Brazil only since 2018 when the
country allowed online gambling. It has exploded since then, and
gambling adverts are often prominent during, before and after
soccer matches. Brazil is currently preparing laws to tax and
regulate the sector.
($1 = 5.0033 reais)
(Reporting by Peter Frontini; additional reporting by Angelica
Medina, Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Leslie Adler)
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