BRUSSELS: Five Armenians have been charged in Belgium with corruption, money laundering and other crimes as part of a major international investigation into match-fixing in tennis, Belgian federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
They were among 13 people detained in Belgium on Tuesday amid simultaneous raids also launched in the US, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Slovakia and the Netherlands. An investigating judge in Belgium issued an arrest warrant for five people, “all of Armenian nationality,” the federal prosecutor’s office said.
The judge ordered the release of the eight other people following questioning, the office said. The raids were part of an international probe into an Armenian-Belgian criminal network suspected of bribing players to throw games. Belgian prosecutors said the matches involved were on the low-level Futures and Challenger circuits, away from the gaze of television coverage and where meagre prize money leaves players susceptible to backhanders.
Australian professional golfers Hannah Green , and Grace Kim. — AFP/File LOS ANGELES: After two days of shooting...
Francesco Bagnaia holding off Marc Marquez in a thriller at Jerez. — AFP/FileJEREZ, Spain: Reigning MotoGP champion...
Albanian footballer Edon Zhegrova celebrates during the match. — AFP/FileLILLE: Zhegrova came from a goal down to...
Olympic gold medallist Gabby Douglas. — AFP/FilePARIS: Three-times Olympic gold medallist Gabby Douglas returned to...
Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates during the match. — AFP/File PARIS: Paris St Germain were held to a...
National Stadium Karachi. — APP/FileKARACHI: The deserted look that the National Bank Stadium presented during the...