Serie A players under investigation for illegal betting, Tonali and Fagioli among those involved

A dozen Serie A footballers are under investigation for acts up to 2023, in a Milanese investigation into a clandestine betting ring, which allegedly did not involve football matches. The names of the players registered for illegal betting include those of Nicolò Fagioli, Sandro Tonali, Weston McKennie, Raoul Bellanova, Angel Di Maria and Nicolò Zaniolo.

In particular, Nicolò Fagioli and Sandro Tonali 'in addition to having made numerous bets through the platforms' at the centre of the investigation of the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office 'appear to have played the role, in turn, of bettors' collectors, as they were in charge of spreading and advertising these illegal platforms, acting as intermediaries for the opening or loading of gambling accounts and making money deliveries on behalf of other bettors, also in cash,' reads the request for precautionary seizure of approximately EUR 1.5 million against persons deemed to be organisers of the illegal business. "In return for this facilitating activity," the footballer now at Newcastle and his colleague who plays for Fiorentina, "appear to have been remunerated through the recognition of bonuses on their gambling accounts or with a reduction of their debts incurred through betting".

These are the facts: the Judicial Police-Aliquota Guardia di Finanza Section of the Public Prosecutor's Office executed "a preventive seizure decree against five physical persons and one legal person issued by the gip for a total of Euro 1,533,753.00". The investigations revealed 'a group active in the Milan area,' explained Prosecutor Marcello Viola, 'considered responsible for the illegal organisation of betting, also through unauthorised online platforms, used by numerous bettors.

It was 'ascertained how a large part of the payments to settle the gambling debts destined for the organisers', quantified at over EUR 1.5 million, 'were channelled through a jeweller's shop in Milan' in order to 'obstruct the illicit origin of the money and make it difficult to identify the real beneficiary'. An alleged 'system' that would have provided for 'fake sales by the jeweller's shop of watches and luxury jewellery which, in reality, were not materially delivered, but only constituted the reason for the bank transfer issued by the bettors to settle the debt contracted for the bets made on the illegal platforms'.

It has come to light, the prosecutors explain, also a mechanism "consolidated and structured for the payment of gambling debts by the bettors in favour of the organisers" with "the use of numerous nominees who, by providing their PostePay cards, Revolut accounts and current accounts, received financial transactions" for at least 300 thousand euro, "intended to settle or reduce debts resulting from illegal betting". For the same 'purpose, the front men also dealt with the collection of cash, for an estimated amount of at least EUR 400,000'. In addition, 'some bettors, in exchange for bonuses, i.e. a reduction of their gambling debts, disseminated and advertised the illegal platforms to others', thus facilitating 'the opening and loading of more and more new gambling accounts'.