2017–2018 Belgian football fraud investigation

The Belgian football fraud investigation, informally known as Operation Clean Hands (Dutch: Operatie Propere Handen), is a federal investigation conducted by the examining magistrate of Limburg on behalf of the Belgian Federal Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation is concerned with organized crime, money laundering and private corruption (bribery) in Belgian football, division 1A and division 1B specifically. Started in late 2017, the investigation raised to national prominence on October 10, 2018, when 44 house searches were carried out across Belgium and 14 more house searches internationally. 29 suspects were arrested in Belgium, and 4 more abroad. Of the 29 arrested in Belgium, 19 were charged with one or more crimes.[1][2]

Investigation

The federal investigation started in late 2017, after a report written by the Sports Fraud Cell contained indications of suspect financial transactions in the Belgian First Division A routed through tens of bank accounts in Genk. Two player agents would have set up, independently of each other, a scheme to hide commissions from Belgian authorities. These payments included commissions on player transfers, player and manager wages, and other payments. During the investigation of these schemes, indications of possible match-fixing arose. The match-fixing pertains to at least two two relegation matches in competition season 2017-2018. [1]

October 10, 2018 searches

On October 10, 2018, the federal police searched 44 buildings across Belgium, mostly focused on football club headquarters and suspect's residencies. The headquarters of RSC Anderlecht, Club Brugge, KRC Genk, KV Kortrijk, KV Mechelen, KV Oostende, Sporting Lokeren, AA Gent, and Standard de Liège were searched. During these searches, documents and contracts pertaining to player agents Mogi Bayat and Deljan Veljkovic were seized. 3 luxury watches were seized as well. Simultaneously, residences of club board members, player agents, referees, a former lawyer, journalists and a manager were searched. Further raids occurred at an accountancy bureau and 2 jewelry stores. During these raids, empty luxury watch boxes valued at 8 million euros, jewels, luxury watches, and cash were seized. As a result of these searches, 28 people were arrested, most of them very early in the morning.[1]

Countries where searches were performed.

Internationally, 14 locations were searched in 6 other countries: France, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Montenegro, Serbia, and Macedonia. During these searches, coordinated by Eurojust, documents and assets on bank accounts and in safes have been seized, for a total amount of 3.6 million euros. No arrests were made during the searches at banks and a company in Luxembourg.[3] In Cyprus, a 52 year old man was arrested on a European arrest warrant, with extradition procedures underway. More than 15 Cypriot police officers, and two Belgian investigators were involved in the searches of four properties in Nicosia and Famagusta, where four computers, two laptops, two iPads, and documents were seized. [4] Six locations in the cities Belgrade and Niš, Serbia, were searched, resulting in the seizure of up to €800.000 which allegedly originated from organized crime in Belgium. Uros Jankovic, business associate of Dejan Veljkovic, was also arrested Wednesday in Belgrade and ordered to be extradited. [5] 4 people were arrested during these international searches, and 2 European arrest warrants were issued.

In total, 184 Belgian and 36 foreign police officers participated in the searches, in Belgium and abroad.

Because of the size and scope of the investigation, as well as the number of suspects arrested after the searches, up to 3 examining magistrates were working concurrently to process those arrested. Multiple examining magistrates being assigned to a single investigation is very unusual in Belgium, with the exception of terrorism cases.[6]

Charges

22 people were heard by the investigating judge, of which 19 people were accused of a crime. 9 people were kept in custody, 5 were released under conditions and 5 were released. Among those charged are player agents, referees, club executives and board members, journalists, a player, and a manager.[1][2]

Accused Charge(s) Status
Mogi Bayat, player agent Criminal organisation, money laundering In custody
Laurent Denis, Mogi Bayat's attorney Criminal organisation, money laundering In custody
Dejan Veljkovic, player agent Criminal organisation, money laundering, private corruption (bribery) In custody
Marija Veljkovic, Dejan Veljkovic's wife Criminal organisation, money laundering In custody
Karim Mejjati, player agent Money laundering In custody
Bart Vertenten, referee Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) In custody
Olivier Somers, majority shareholder of KV Mechelen Criminal organisation, money laundering, private corruption (bribery) In custody
Thierry Steemans, financial director of KV Mechelen Criminal organisation, money laundering, private corruption (bribery) In custody
Dragan Siljanoski, player agent Money laundering In custody
Stefaan Vanroy, sporting director of KV Mechelen Criminal organisation, money laundering, private corruption (bribery) Released on conditions
Sébastien Delferière, referee Criminal organisation, money laundering, private corruption (bribery) Released on conditions
Dirk Huyck, chairman of Waasland-Beveren Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) Released on conditions
Walter Mortelmans, player agent Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) Released on conditions
Olivier Swolfs, financial director of Waasland-Beveren Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) Released on conditions
Frank Dekeyser, journalist for Het Laatste Nieuws Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) Released without conditions
David Van den Broeck, journalist for Het Nieuwsblad and Gazet Van Antwerpen Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) Released without conditions
Stijn Joris, journalist for Het Laatste Nieuws Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) Released without conditions
Olivier Myny, football player for OH Leuven, previously Waasland-Beveren Criminal organisation, private corruption (bribery) Released without conditions
Ivan Leko, manager of Club Brugge Money laundering Released without conditions

Reactions

On October 11, 2018, the Jupiler Pro League announced that the tenth match day for the First Division B, planned for October 13 and October 14, would be postponed.[7]

Johan Verbist, arbitration coordinator for the Royal Belgian Football Association, announced on October 11 that Bart Vertenten and Sébastien Delferière were suspended following the investigation, with the RBFA aiming to make this suspension permanent. Delferière was supposed to referee a Nations League match on October 13, but was quickly replaced by the UEFA at the request of Verbist.[8]

Several politicians, including deputy prime minister Kris Peeters, finance minister Johan Van Overtveldt, Flemish sports minister Philippe Muyters, and social affairs minister Maggie de Block, announced their intentions to re-evaluate the financial benefits professional players receive following news of the scandal. Since 1978, professional sports players are taxed at a reduced RSZ (Social security) rate, designed to promote the type of employment at the time.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Press Release by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office - D1/026/18". Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office. 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  2. 1 2 "19 mensen in verdenking in fraudedossier van Belgisch voetbal" (in Dutch). Sporza. 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  3. ↑ "Festnahmen im belgischen Fußball, Durchsuchungen in Luxemburg" (in German). Luxemburger Wort. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  4. ↑ "FOOTBALL: Cyprus arrest as part of Belgium match-fixing raids". Financial Mirror. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  5. ↑ "EKSKLUZIVNO! "Blic" saznaje: Policija u Srbiji zaplenila 800.000 EVRA "PRLJAVOG" NOVCA od fudbalskih nameštaljki u Belgiji!" (in Serbian). BLIC. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  6. ↑ de Graaf, Dominique (2018-10-12). "Heeft advocaat Sven Mary gelijk met zijn kritiek op het voetbalonderzoek en de verschillende onderzoeksrechters?" (in Dutch). VRT. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
  7. ↑ "Pro League past kalender aan in 1B: geen voetbal dit weekend" (in Dutch). Sporza. 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  8. ↑ "Refs Vertenten en Delferière zijn geschorst: "Klap voor imago van refs"" (in Dutch). Sporza. 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  9. ↑ "Politiek wil fiscale voordelen voetballers herbekijken" (in Dutch). Het Laatste Nieuws. 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
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