Brazil dismantles ring stealing footballers’ wages

Brazilian authorities said Tuesday they had dismantled a bank-fraud ring that embezzled wages from  professional football players.

The Brazilian Ministry of Justice said the suspected fraudsters stole more than 1 million reais (approximately 156,000 euros) from players. They opened bank accounts in the players’ names using false documents and then requested the transfer of their salaries from the accounts into which they had been paid by their clubs. 

Authorities did not specify the names of the players involved, but local media reported that several play for Brazilian first division clubs, and included Cruzeiro striker Gabigol and Gremio’s Argentina defender Walter Kannemann. 

The authorities said 135,000 reais had been recovered.

“Once they received the funds, the fraudsters transferred them to other financial institutions, made purchases, or ATM withdrawals to complicate the tracking and recovery of the funds,” the Ministry said in a statement. 

The investigation began in January after a bank identified irregularities in transactions on football players’ accounts. The bank reimbursed the victims, “who were unaware” of the transfers.

Police, who named the operation “False 9,” mobilized more than 100 officers in four Brazilian states. 

Thirty-three judicial orders were issued, including arrest and search warrants. The suspects face up to 33 years in prison for fraud, identity theft, criminal organization, and money laundering.