Israeli Police arrested an active senior league soccer player on suspicion of systematic illegal gambling and match fixing, according to reporting on the investigation.
The player was taken by officers from Lahav 433’s Sports Gambling and Bribery Division, as investigators pursued suspicions of large-scale illegal gambling, money laundering, and tax violations allegedly committed with others.
Police said the arrest was tied to a broader inquiry into a gang based in Migdal Ha’emek, led as part of Lahav 433’s Northern Economic Crime Unit investigation.
Last week, officers from the Northern Economic Crime Unit raided homes and businesses of members of a violent criminal gang in Migdal Ha’emek, and authorities carried out searches, arrests, and detentions of dozens of suspects on suspicion of extortion, operating illegal gambling networks, money laundering, and other offenses.
During the operation, investigators seized assets, an airsoft pistol, and luxury vehicles. The gang was suspected of serious crimes including operating illegal betting lines, providing loans at usurious interest rates, and extorting dozens of victims through threats.
Police also indicated that a separate investigation had been opened because the individual was an active soccer player. In addition, the suspect’s father was summoned to provide testimony, and at that stage was not considered a suspect.
