Brazil court says Flamengo’s Henrique to face trial for alleged match-fixing

Flamengo player Bruno Henrique will stand trial in Brazil for sports fraud aimed at allegedly benefiting his relatives through online betting, according to a court ruling seen by AFP on Friday.

Henrique, 34, was charged in June for allegedly deliberately earning a yellow card during a domestic league match in 2023, in coordination with gamblers within his family circle.

“The information indicates the existence of criminal conduct by the accused Bruno Henrique,” said a judge from a Brasilia court in the decision authorizing the player’s trial.

The forward is accused of match-fixing, a crime punishable by two to six years in prison.

The case centers on a game Flamengo lost 2–1 to Santos in Brasilia in November 2023. 

Henrique received a yellow card for a foul and then a second for insulting the referee, for which he was sent off.

Police found several compromising messages on the phone of his brother, Wander Nunes, who will also stand trial.

According to the judge, the police investigation concluded that Henrique “intentionally acted to be penalized with the card,” while his brother encouraged him “with the aim of obtaining financial gain.”

In November 2024, police carried out several search warrants, including at Henrique’s home in Rio de Janeiro and his room at Flamengo’s training facility.

His brother, sister-in-law, and cousin allegedly created accounts with online betting platforms the day before the match and wagered on him receiving a yellow card.

Despite the legal troubles, Henrique continued to play for Flamengo, appearing in the Club World Cup in the United States in June.  

More recently, he captained the team in Wednesday’s win over Red Bull Bragantino in the Brazilian league.

Henrique and his brother must appear before the judge within 10 days, according to the ruling. 

Match-fixing allegations have rocked Brazilian football, with investigations implicating major clubs in South America’s most powerful league. 

The country’s congress has created a special commission to investigate the issue.