The Cheat Sheet - April 17, 2025 - A Roundup of Sports, Gambling and Crime News

Venezuelan baseball players abandoned in Spain, Mexican women's football under threat, Koreans going after illegal sailboat races, and football corruption around the world. Welcome to the Cheat Sheet!

The Cheat Sheet - April 17, 2025 - Issue 11

The briefing for developments in sports, gambling, and crime all around the world

FOOTBALL

BRAZIL - Juventude forward Ênio under investigation for suspected match-fixing
24-year-old forward Ênio, playing for Juventude, faces allegations of match-fixing. The controversy centers around a yellow card he received in the 36th minute during a match against Vitória in the opening round of the 2025 Brasileirão. This incident triggered alerts from multiple betting operators due to an unusual surge in bets predicting Ênio would be booked.

BRAZIL – Flamengo star Bruno Henrique indicted for sports fraud
Brazilian Federal Police have indicted Flamengo forward Bruno Henrique on allegations of sports fraud linked to match-fixing. Henrique, a prominent figure in Brazilian football, faces serious charges of participating in schemes intended to manipulate outcomes in high-profile matches, directly impacting betting markets.

BRAZIL – Match-fixing gang exposed after approaching club president who is also police chief
A major match-fixing ring in Brazil was uncovered after mistakenly attempting to recruit Marquiori Luís Machado, president of União Frederiquense, who also happens to be a police chief. Machado was approached by fixers promising financial incentives for manipulating matches in Brazil’s lower-tier Campeonato Gaúcho Série A2.

ENGLAND – Lucas Paquetá’s spot-fixing hearing adjourned until summer
West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paquetá's spot-fixing hearing has been adjourned until June 2025. The Brazilian international faces four charges of deliberately receiving yellow cards in Premier League matches between November 2022 and August 2023, allegedly to benefit betting activities linked to associates in Brazil. Additional charges include obstructing the Football Association's investigation.

GUINEA-BISSAU – Olympic Committee alarmed over rising match-fixing cases in national football
The Olympic Committee of Guinea-Bissau has expressed serious concerns about the increasing reports of match manipulation involving the country's football teams. Committee President Sérgio Mané highlighted that these cases are undermining the credibility of national sports.

ITALY – Serie A players under investigation for illegal betting activities
Italian prosecutors have launched an investigation into at least 12 Serie A players, including Weston McKennie (Juventus), Ángel Di María (Benfica), and Nicolò Zaniolo (Fiorentina), for alleged involvement in illegal online betting activities. The inquiry, led by the Milan Prosecutor’s Office, focuses on unauthorized gambling on poker and other non-football sports via unlicensed platforms between December 2021 and October 2023. Authorities have seized €1.5 million and placed five individuals under house arrest for operating the illicit betting network.

Ángel Di María. Source: Getty

KENYA – Patrick Matasi’s match-fixing ban overturned by court
Kenyan goalkeeper Patrick Matasi has been granted a reprieve by a court, which overturned the Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) 90-day suspension imposed on him over match-fixing allegations. The FKF had suspended Matasi following the circulation of a covertly recorded video purportedly showing him discussing plans to fix a match. Matasi was accused of seeking to fix an AFCON qualifier when Kenya lost 4-1 to Cameroon. The match will be replayed.

KENYA – Match-fixing concerns emerge in Division One Zone B promotion race
Five clubs in the Kenyan Division One Zone B league are under scrutiny following allegations of match-fixing that have cast a shadow over the promotion race. Among the most glaring concerns is the scheduling of home fixtures. Some clubs have been allowed to play three to four consecutive home matches — a highly unusual occurrence in any professional league.

MALTA – Jurgen Pisani provisionally suspended over match-fixing charges
Jurgen Pisani, a defender for Żabbar St Patrick and former Santa Lucia FC player, has been provisionally suspended by the Malta Football Association (MFA) following match-fixing charges filed by the Malta Police. The allegations pertain to a Premier League match between Santa Lucia and Birkirkara held on May 3, 2024. The MFA has initiated proceedings against both Pisani and Santa Lucia FC, the club he was registered with at the time of the alleged incident.

MEXICO – Women’s team, Mazatlán FC Femenil, in crisis over match-fixing threats
Women’s team, Mazatlán FC Femenil, is under investigation after a series of unusually heavy losses. The Mexican football federation alleges match-fixing and involvement in illegal betting activities. However, more worryingly, the team itself released a statement revealing that both the club and several players have received anonymous threats. This is the latest in a series of match-fixing crises to hit the Mexican footballing community.

MEXICO – FMF suspends two players over match-fixing and betting scandals
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has imposed suspensions on two players from lower-division clubs Real Zamora and Club Deportivo Uruapan due to their involvement in match-fixing and betting activities. One player received a two-year ban, while the other was suspended for three years. These sanctions are part of the FMF's ongoing efforts to crack down on match-fixing, especially in lower divisions.

NIGERIA – Lobi Stars media officer summoned over match-fixing allegation
The Nigeria Premier Football League has summoned Emmanuel Ujah, the media officer of Lobi Stars, to provide clarification on allegations he made regarding match-fixing and betting among the team's players. Ujah's claims, made in a radio interview, suggested that players were involved in betting on league matches. The NPFL has set up a panel to investigate these allegations.

PORTUGAL – Anadia reports attempted match-fixing in Portuguese football
Portuguese third-divison club Anadia FC has reported an attempted match-fixing incident to authorities, revealing an approach made to players offering financial incentives to manipulate match outcomes. Club officials immediately alerted the Portuguese Football Federation and law enforcement upon discovering suspicious communications from unknown individuals seeking to influence players.

RWANDA – Four people, including Muhazi United coach, investigated for match-fixing
The Rwanda Football Association has summoned Jean Baptiste Mugiraneza, also known as "Miggy," assistant coach of Muhazi United, along with three other individuals, in connection with a match-fixing investigation. A leaked recording revealed Miggy allegedly attempting to influence a match outcome to benefit a team he intended to coach in the future. The implicated player reportedly rejected the proposal, citing personal and religious reasons. FERWAFA is conducting a thorough investigation to address these serious allegations and uphold the integrity of Rwandan football.​

BASEBALL

VENEZUELA - Government investigates potential trafficking of baseball players in Spain
The Venezuelan government has initiated an investigation into a possible human trafficking network following the asylum requests of 19 young Venezuelan baseball players in Barcelona, Spain. The athletes, aged between 18 and 22, arrived in Spain as part of an exhibition tour organized by the Team Guevara agency, led by Julio Guevara, who also serves as president of the Latin American Senior League. Upon arrival, the players claimed they were abandoned by Guevara, who returned to Venezuela citing health issues, leaving them without support. Subsequently, the players sought asylum, alleging they had been misled and left in precarious conditions.

CRICKET

BANGLADESH – BCB investigates controversial stumping incident for potential match-fixing
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has launched an investigation into a peculiar dismissal during a Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match between Gulshan and Shinepukur, raising suspicions of match-fixing. In the critical moment of the game, Shinepukur required six runs with one wicket in hand when their wicketkeeper, Minhajul Abedin, inexplicably stepped out of his crease and left a wide delivery untouched. This unusual act resulted in Shinepukur's five-run defeat and subsequent relegation to the second division.

HONG KONG – Cricket chief asserts city’s game is clean amid past scandals
Cricket Hong Kong chairman Burji Shroff has reaffirmed confidence in the sport's integrity within the city, despite repeated match-fixing incidents involving local players. Shroff highlighted the organization's proactive measures, including mandatory anti-corruption briefings for all teams and collaboration with the Independent Commission Against Corruption. The team has upcoming T20 series against Kuwait, Qatar, and Nepal.

OLYMPICS

INDIA – Modi allies accused of systematically taking over Olympic bodies
An investigative report by The Inquisitor has highlighted alleged efforts by prominent Indian business and political figures—dubbed "Modigarchs"—to gain influence within international Olympic governance bodies. Central to the report are Mukesh and Nita Ambani, whose daughter, Isha Ambani, was recently appointed to the board of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). The appointment followed the Ambanis' support for Kirsty Coventry in her successful bid to become IOC president, which some observers interpret as part of a wider strategy to strengthen India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics, particularly in Gujarat.

SAILING

SOUTH KOREA – Authorities recruit citizens to fight illegal gambling on sailing and rowing
South Korea's National Sports Promotion Corporation is expanding its citizen-led teams to tackle illegal gambling linked to sailing and rowing events. Illegal operators frequently organize private, unauthorized racing events and betting, using unregistered or unofficial boats, creating significant financial harm and undermining legitimate sporting activities.

SNOOKER

CHINA - Chang Bingyu suspended for two years over match-fixing
Chinese professional snooker player Chang Bingyu has been suspended for two years following a match-fixing investigation. The 22-year-old admitted to manipulating match outcomes, leading to his ban effective until December 2024.

TENNIS

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Three tennis officials suspended for match-fixing offenses

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has sanctioned three national-level tennis officials from the Dominican Republic—Luis Rodriguez, Antonio Sosa, and Wellingthon Lopez—for manipulating match scores and falsifying results to facilitate betting between 2018 and 2021.

FRANCE – Five French tennis players sanctioned for match-fixing
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has sanctioned five French tennis players for breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. The violations, dating back to 2017 and 2018, are linked to a Belgian match-fixing syndicate. Sanctions include suspensions ranging from two to five years and fines up to $50,000.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE READING

• ClearingSport launches proposal for a new international entity to protect sports integrity – Play the Game
  A comprehensive proposal to create a dedicated international body, ClearingSport, aimed at safeguarding the integrity of sports has been unveiled by Play The Game, after consulting with hundreds of experts. The initiative seeks global collaboration to combat corruption, doping, and match manipulation.
  

• Top 10 tips for sports organisations & tournament organisers on implementing anti-corruption policies – LawInSport
  A practical guide outlining essential steps sports organisations and tournament hosts should follow to effectively implement anti-corruption policies. Recommendations cover education, whistleblowing mechanisms, and robust internal monitoring systems.
  

• Sport anti-corruption chief forecasts evolving threats – AAP News
  Sport Integrity Australia’s director highlights emerging corruption threats driven by evolving betting practices and technology. He calls for proactive international cooperation to address increasing vulnerabilities.
  

• Brazil set to join Macolin Convention, the first country in Latin America to do so – Yogonet
  Brazil is set to join a global network to combat sports betting manipulation, aligning with international standards and enhancing local capabilities. The move comes amidst rising concerns about integrity in domestic sports competitions.
  

• How gambling scandals are reshaping college and pro basketball – The Athletic/New York Times
  A deep dive into recent basketball gambling scandals highlighting their profound impacts on both collegiate and professional leagues. The report explores regulatory challenges and measures being taken to safeguard sports integrity.
  

• Opinion: Can modern protections stem illegal gambling’s eternal appeal? – CDC Gaming Reports
  An analysis of why illegal gambling remains resilient despite advancements in regulation and technology. It argues that contemporary safeguards may not be sufficient without broader global coordination.