New phase of Operation Maximum Penalty investigates seven games
Written by :
Heloisa Vasconcelos
Reviewed by :
Larissa Borges
The Public Ministry of Goiás (MP-GO) began this Tuesday (28) the third phase of Operation Maximum Penalty, which investigates cases of manipulation of results in sports matches.
Seven games from the 2022 Brasileirão and state championships will be investigated in this new phase of the police operation.
Ten search and seizure warrants were issued and served in the cities of Goiânia (GO), Bataguassu (MS), Campina Grande (PB), Nilópolis (RJ), Santana do Parnaíba (SP), São Paulo (SP), Volta Redonda (RJ) and Votuporanga (SP). There have been no arrests yet.
The third phase of the operation will investigate the following matches:
- Avaí x Flamengo, for the 2022 Brazilian Championship Series A;
- Nautico x Sampaio Corrêa, for the 2022 Brazilian Championship Series B;
- Nautico x Criciúma, for the 2022 Brazilian Championship Series B;
- Goiânia x Aparecidense, for the 2023 Goianão;
- Goiás x Goiânia, for the 2023 Goianão;
- Nacional x Auto Esporte, for the 2023 Paraibano Championship; and
- Sousa x Auto Esporte, for the 2023 Paraibano Championship.
The Brazilian Championship matches took place in the second round of last year and the state championship matches took place between January and February of this year.
Combating match-fixing
The operation aims to investigate the practice of illicit conduct that may constitute a criminal organization to defraud the results of football matches (crimes provided for in Law No. 12,850/13 and in articles 198 and 199 of the General Sports Law).
The operation launched this Tuesday is an offshoot of Operations Penalidade Máxima I and II, which took place in February and April 2023.
According to investigations, criminal groups entice professional players by offering high amounts of money so that they simulate situations such as being punished with yellow and red cards, committing a penalty or having a partial score in the match.
With this, they make profits on sports betting platforms.
The first phases have resulted, to date, in three complaints received by the Judiciary.
Thirty-two people have already been charged with crimes of belonging to a criminal organization and corruption in the sporting sphere and twelve players have already been punished for involvement in match-fixing schemes.
Players already punished
- Ygor Catatau (banned)
- Matheus Gomes (banned)
- Gabriel Tota (banned)
- Eduardo Bauermann (360 days)
- Alef Manga (360 days)
- Paulo Sergio (600 days)
- Paulo Miranda (720 days)
- Fernando Neto (360 days)
- Matthew (600 days)
- André Luiz (600 days)
- Moraes (720 days)
- Kevin Lomonaco (360 days)