28.12.2009 by HoisseBig.

Football match-fixing scandal rocks European, Turkish sports

10/12/2009

A German probe into a Balkan-linked gang points to Europe’s biggest football betting scandal.

By Barış Yılmaz for Southeast European Times in Ankara — 10/12/09

At least 200 football games were manipulated by a German-based gang, according to a recent investigation. Called the ” biggest match-fixing scandal ever to hit Europe”, the probe centred on domestic league games in nine European countries — Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia and Hercegovina and Austria. Also investigated were 12 qualifying matches in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Europa League, and three in the UEFA Champions League.

On November 19th, 15 suspects were arrested, including several Turks and Croats. The group is suspected of having earned up to 10m euros in the fraud.

Twenty-nine of the allegedly fixed matches took place in Turkey, according to German press reports. A friendly match between Turkey’s Fenerbahçe and Germany’s Ulm in July — where Ulm lost 5-0 — is under scrutiny, according to the German Bild newspaper.

At least two other matches from Turkey’s top Super Lig were investigated for having been fixed.

Ilhan Cavcav, president of Ankara’s Genclerbirligi sports club, said he has been asked twice to fix matches. He turned down both offers.

Cavcav also claims that two Genclerbirligi players were involved in match-fixing during the ‘85-’86 season. Both were kicked off the team.

“As we have witnessed, those who betrayed football in the past, now live in poverty. That is the case with these players,” he told the daily Hurriyet.

Following Cavcav’s statements, the Turkish Football Federation launched an official investigation of match-fixing claims in the Super Lig……………..

Setimes

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28.12.2009 by HoisseBig.

Luxury Car Ring Leader Arrested in Albania

Tirana | 24 December 2009 |

Flordia police

Francesk Pashku, alias Fran Malacoj, was arrested on Wednesday by Albanian police. Pashku, an Albanian national with US citizenship, had been wanted for more than a decade as the suspected leader of ring that sold stolen cars in several US states. A US district court in Jacksonville, Florida, had issued an international arrest warrant for 43-year-old Pashku, who is accused of being responsible for more than 120 thefts. Pashku has been charged with grand theft auto and dealing in stolen property.

According to the Florida Times Union, the Jacksonville metro area newspaper, US officials believe that most of the luxury cars and sport utility vehicles were stolen from Manhattan, subsequently given new vehicle identification numbers and titles, and then sold around the United States.

Francek Pashu a.k.a Fran Malocaj

After the bust, which involved several law enforcement agencies, police recovered 29 vehicles valued at $1.2 million (835,000 euros). The cars included several BMWs, a Lincoln Navigator, a Mitsubishi Montero and a Ford Explorer.

Many of the cars were sold in Jacksonville for $10,000 to $30,000 below market value.

Police arrested at least a dozen other Albanian immigrants in connection to the investigation.Pashku is currently being held in an Albanian high security prison pending extradition to the United States to stand trial.

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