Cyber police and National Police investigators exposed several criminal groups that earned millions of hryvnias from «fixed» matches in e-sports, table tennis and football. It was reported that the well-known Ukrainian football player Artem Milevskyi is among those detained, but this information has not been confirmed.
Cyber police and National Police investigators exposed several criminal groups that earned millions of hryvnias from «fixed» matches in e-sports, table tennis and football. It was reported that the well-known Ukrainian football player Artem Milevskyi is among those detained, but this information has not been confirmed.
«The extras organized contractual matches in cyber football, cyber basketball, table tennis, football, basketball in order to further obtain illegal benefits through bookmakers,» the law enforcement agency said.
According to them, in order to expand their influence among cyberathletes, attract more online fans and cash bets, the attackers recruited famous athletes who had achievements in real sports. Thanks to this, tens of thousands of viewers could watch online broadcasts of «on-demand» matches on the Internet.
«Some members of the group are former world-class athletes who used the connections acquired over the years of professional activity to organize „contractual“ matches between cyberathletes from Australia, Europe and Ukraine,» the Cyber Police noted.
Police found out that the perpetrators forced players to deliberately lose their online matches using bribery, coercion, and intimidation. For intimidation, previously convicted men of stocky build, who also used weapons, were involved. So far, about 10 players have been identified who have been affected in this way. Sometimes they were offered a monetary reward for «flushing» matches.
«Knowing the future outcome of the game, the perpetrators personally or through trusted persons placed bets on the resources of bookmakers registered in the countries of Asia, Europe, Australia, and America. According to preliminary estimates, the profits from such activities could amount to millions of hryvnias,» noted Ukrainian law enforcement officers.
Earned money was «laundered» through the purchase and resale of luxury cars, real estate and other assets. Financial transactions were carried out through crypto wallets.
Law enforcement officers, with the support of the TacTeam special unit of the TOR battalion of the Patrol Police Department, conducted 45 simultaneous searches throughout Ukraine in cars, at the addresses of registration and residence of the suspects and their possible accomplices. Detainees face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
Earlier in Telegram channels and social networks, information appeared that among them there is also a former football player of Dynamo Kyiv and the national team of Ukraine, Artem Milevskyi. But, according to «RBK-Ukraine», he was not detained or declared a suspect. In this case, he acts as a witness. And the photos in which Milevskyi communicates with law enforcement officers were taken during searches a few months ago.
«In the pre-trial detention center, damn it. Well, clowns, damn it. What else will you invent?» Artem Milevskyi commented on the news about his arrest.
