Maximum Penalty: understand betting investigation – 05/11/2023 – Sport

An investigation is underway that analyzes the manipulation of football matches in Brazil. The Goiás Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP-GO) identified situations in which players were approached to force cards or commit penalties, with the aim of illicit gain on sports betting sites.

So far, two stages of Operation Maximum Penalty have been triggered. The first, in February, aimed at Serie B duels of the 2022 Brazilian Championship. In the second, in April, the scope grew to include Serie A disputes and some state tournaments.

A gang was pointed out by the MP-GO, and the Justice accepted the denunciations, transforming more than 20 people into defendants, among recruiters and players. Some of these athletes were removed by their clubs, but the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), for now, is not talking about interrupting competitions.

What is Operation Maximum Penalty?

The Maximum Penalty Operation is an operation by the Public Ministry of Goiás (MP-GO) that investigates the manipulation of soccer matches. There are indications that there were frauds in matches of the 2022 Brazilian Championship (Serie A and B Series), the 2023 Paulista Championship and the 2023 Gaúcho Championship.

What is the manipulation? Is it match-fixing?

No. At least not directly. According to the investigation, grooms approached players to get them yellow cards or red cards on purpose. In other cases, the bet was on a penalty kick. Evidently, warnings, expulsions and penalties influence the result, but the suspect bets, as far as we know so far, were not on the scoreboard of the games.

Why has the investigation been conducted by the Public Ministry of Goiás?

The first complaint came from the president of a club in Goiânia, Vila Nova. Says the MP-GO that midfielder Romário agreed to receive R$ 150,000 to commit a penalty in the match against Sport, in Série B. But he was not even listed on the bench and, according to the MP, tried to convince teammates to do the service. The story reached the president of Vila Nova, Hugo Jorge Bravo, who is a major in the Military Police of Goiás and took the case to the Public Ministry.

What are the games under investigation?

Brazilian Championship 2022 (Serie A)

• Palmeiras x Juventude (10.set)
• Youth x Fortaleza (17.set)
• Ceará vs Cuiabá (October 16)
• Goiás vs Juventude (Nov 5)
• Red Bull Bragantino vs America-MG (5.Nov)
• Santos vs Avai (5.Nov)
• Palmeiras x Cuiabá (6.Nov)
• Botafogo vs Santos (10.Nov)

Brazilian Serie B 2022

• Sport x Operário-PR (October 28)
• Criciúma x Tombense (5.Nov)
• Sampaio Corrêa vs Londrina (5.Nov)
• Vila Nova x Sport (6.Nov)

Paulista Championship 2023

• Red Bull Bragantino x Portuguesa (21.jan)
• Guarani x Portuguese (8.Feb)

2023 Gaucho Championship

• Bento Gonçalves vs Novo Hamburgo (Feb 11)
• Caxias x São Luiz (Feb 12)

According to the MP-GO, “some matches are still under investigation in another criminal procedure, Luverdense x Operário de Várzea Grande (MT) and Goiás x Goiânia among them”.

Which players were reported?

The MP-GO denounced 15 athletes. The Justice of Goiás accepted the complaint, which made them defendants. Check the list:
Allan Godói (Operário-PR) – was announced by the club after having his name disclosed in the first phase of the operation; has not yet debuted;

• André Luiz (without club) – had his contract terminated by Ituano in April;
• Eduardo Bauermann (Santos) – removed by the club;
• Fernando Neto (São Bernardo) – removed by the club;
• Gabriel Domingos (without club) – terminated his contract with Vila Nova;
• Gabriel Tota (Ypiranga-RS) – normally part of the team;
• Igor Cariús (Sport) – normally part of the team;
• Joseph (Betim) – normally part of the team;
• Matheus Gomes (without a club) – left Sergipe before his name appeared in the poll;
• Matheusinho (Cuiabá) – normally part of the team;
• Paulo Miranda (without club) – removed from Náutico, agreed to terminate contract;
• Paulo Sérgio (Operário-PR) – normally part of the team;
• Romário (without club) – pivotal at the beginning of the investigation, he defended Goiânia after leaving Vila Nova;
• Victor Ramos (Chapecoense) – normally part of the team;
• Ygor Catatau (Sepahan-IRA) – transferred from Sampaio Corrêa to football in Iran at the beginning of the year.

Other players are mentioned in the investigations, but were not reported. Still, as a precaution, several of them were removed by their clubs.

Which gamblers were reported?

Bruno Lopez de Moura, 29, is named as the leader of the scheme and was arrested in the first phase of the operation. Thiago Chambó Andrade and Romário Hugo dos Santos have also been arrested since February. Check the list of complainants:

• Bruno Lopez de Moura;
• Camila Silva da Motta;
• Icaro Fernando Calixto dos Santos;
• Luís Felipe Rodrigues de Castro;
• Pedro Gama dos Santos Junior;
• Romário Hugo dos Santos;
• Thiago Chambó Andrade;
• Victor Yamasaki Fernandes;
• William de Oliveira Souza;
• Zildo Peixoto Neto.

What was the amount paid to athletes by recruiters?

The payment varied between R$ 50 thousand and R$ 500 thousand. At the time of settlement, there was a down payment. After completing the manipulation, the athlete received the rest.

Did the investigation point to the participation of arbitrators in the fraudulent scheme?

So far, the investigations released only point to the participation of athletes in collusion with the gambling gang. There is no mention of referees.

Are clubs and betting sites also considered suspicious?

No. At this time, clubs and websites are treated as victims of the scheme.

What are the possible punishments for those involved?

In the criminal sphere, those accused will have to respond for practices of criminal organization (three to eight years in prison and a fine) and active corruption (two to 12 years in prison). In the sporting sphere, players are subject to fines of up to R$100,000 and suspension of up to two years; in case of recurrence, a new fine of up to R$ 100,000 and the possibility of banishment from the sport.