Fraud Investigation in Italy Targets Udinese Keeper Okoye’s Yellow Card

The growing popularity of sports betting came along with fears about the impact of the activity on sports. Not unexpectedly, soccer, as one of the most popular sports globally, is seen as one that can be vulnerable to manipulation attempts and match-fixing.

Now, a new investigation in Italy will look into suspicious bets placed on a Serie A game played more than a year ago. The game in question is the Lazio-Udinese match from March 11, 2024, with Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, being on a list containing several suspects.

The Investigation Into Betting Fraud Is Ongoing

As announced by the local media outlet, Messaggero Veneto, suspicious bets flagged by Snai, one of Italy’s most popular betting brands that was recently acquired by the gambling giant Flutter Entertainment, resulted in the launch of an investigation. The bets, flagged by the betting company’s algorithm were referred to the Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency.

Subsequently, the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC), the Italian Football Federation, was approached which contacted the Udine Public Prosecutor’s Office. The latter authority announced last week that it has initiated an investigation into potential fraud by Okoye.

In addition, subject to the investigation are several other people suspected of being involved in unlawful actions. Per the local media report, Diego Giordano, the owner of a popular pizzeria where the soccer players used to go called Biffi, is under investigation.

The Udine Public Prosecutor’s Office investigation is reportedly looking into Mario Bordon, an entrepreneur, who is suspected of being involved in the scheme too. The manager of a local Snai betting outlet is also reportedly under investigation.

The criminal probe was assigned to public prosecutor Caterina Pace. Upon announcing the probe, Udine’s chief prosecutor, Massimo Lia, explained that the investigation is ongoing. Lia did not rule out the addition of more individuals to the list of suspects.

Yellow Card Raises Suspicion

What’s known so far is that the probe seeks to determine whether or not the four suspects were connected in some way. The Udine Prosecutor’s Office is also investigating whether or not the men were involved in betting fraud. Reportedly, the Udinese goalkeeper agreed to grant the authorities access to his phones as a part of the investigation.

During the Lazio-Udinese match, Okoye received a yellow card in the second half of the game. The penalty came after the goalkeeper delayed the game although that is not uncommon for leading teams. However, this yellow card ultimately helped accomplish a number of bets, which were subsequently flagged as suspicious.

Suspicious bets or patterns can now be easily flagged thanks to machine learning and AI-powered solutions that constantly monitor the flow of wagers. This innovative technology plays a key role in uncovering small and large-scale illegal operations or cases of match-fixing. Usually, when a wager is flagged as suspicious, it cannot be cashed out. Such extra precaution helps protect the bookmakers while preventing bad actors from cashing out on match-fixing and other unlawful practices.