'Criminal elements tainting Israeli soccer'
Police investigating whether top figures in Israeli soccer received bribes, fixed games in order to profit from illegal gambling
The Israeli soccer arena is reeling from what insiders have called "earth shattering revelations" following the arrest of several team owners on suspicion of fixing Major League games.
The National Fraud Unit suspects several team owners are linked to organized crime figures and that together, they manipulated the results of several games in an attempt to profit from illegal gambling.
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Hapoel Petah Tikva FC owners Gal Hatzor and Tomer Sinai were both arrested in the case, as was the team's former coach Yuval Naim; while Israel Football Association Director Avi Luzon was questioned under caution.
Sinai is suspected of conspiracy to commit a crime, fraudulently obtaining benefits, extortion and intimidation; Hatzor is suspected of double contracting, match-fixing and bribery; and Luzon is suspected of interfering in the placement of referees in the games believed tainted.
Sinai and Hatzor remain in police custody, while Luzon released under traveling restrictions.
The case currently focuses on Hapoel Petah Tikva FC, but the police believe at least one more Major League team is involved.
Some of the criminal elements linked to the case are considered high-profile figures wanted by the Police Investigations and Intelligence Division ("Lahav 443").
Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino ordered Lahav 443 officers to join the investigation following several situation assessments in the case, which has been called "one of shocking scope."
Danino said the investigation aims to "root out crime and corruption from Israeli soccer."
Eli Senyor, Moshe Shienman and Neri Brener contributed to this report
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