The National Court has closed the investigation into what is known as the 'tennis mafia' and has sent 25 people on the bench, including several professional tennis players who participated in matchmaking to profit from the bets. None of those involved were top players. The main tennis player of the plot was Marc Fornell Mestres , who in 2007 reached 167th in the ATP ranking.

Judge José de la Mata explains that there were two organizations dedicated to making money illegally, with bets linked to matches in which tennis players participated. Sometimes they were directly "members of the organization" or were tennis players who in exchange for a specific payment accepted the deal. The judge concludes the investigation, which implies that those involved will go to trial when the prosecution presents its indictment.

"These players, according to the organization and in exchange for a price, altered the normal course of the game, allowing themselves to win games, sets, games or points, as agreed illegally, to ensure the result of the 'safe' bets made by the members of the organization, who benefited from the awards obtained. " He details that those involved used "multitude of third-party identities" to diversify bets and maintain anonymity. In a last phase the profits were invested to bleach them. The car gives a list of rigged matches, held both in Spain and abroad.

The researchers tracked 37 bank accounts used by those investigated, but their calculation is that hundreds were used. With the data of those 37 it can be established that the profits exceeded 3.5 million euros . "The importance of the amounts obtained seems to completely undermine the possibility that the bets winnings have a lawful origin, according to simple statistical criteria and, in any case, would be considered equally illegal, even without corruption in some of the parties in those who execute their bets, since they are executed by mediating deception to the bookmaker precisely by using usurped identities of third parties, "says the judge.

"Multiply earnings"

The money obtained was used both to make new bets "and to multiply the winnings" and to enjoy "a high standard of living, in view of the cash withdrawals made from the accounts and the card payments made in the same, all this to happen that none of them developed stable remunerated activities that allow them to have such standard of living. "

The judge explains that, after some time rigging his own matches, Fornell realized that he was under suspicion and contacted an organization led by Armenians who went on to take care of the bets, thus clearing the tennis player from suspicion. The car indicates that Fornell is the "key piece" of the organization and that he took advantage of "his extensive knowledge in the world of tennis, motivated by his long sports career" to interact with other players, gain his confidence and convince them to participate in the plot.

The judge considers that those involved committed crimes of corruption between individuals, fraud, usurpation of marital status and money laundering.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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