A major scandal has erupted in Israeli soccer after a well-known player from a top Israeli team was arrested by Israel Police on Sunday morning on suspicion of "systematic" gambling and match fixing.
The player was arrested by officers from Lahav 433’s Sports Gambling and Bribery Division, as part of an investigation into a gang from Migdal Ha'emek led by Lahav 433's Northern Economic Crime Unit. The active soccer player is suspected of large-scale illegal gambling, match fixing, money laundering offenses, and tax violations, allegedly committed together with others.
Officials at the team where the player is under contract were reportedly surprised to learn of the case on Sunday morning. The club is expected to review the details, and if the allegations prove credible and substantiated, it may move to terminate his contract.
The player's father was also summoned to provide testimony. At this stage, however, he is not considered a suspect. He was called in because his name surfaced during the broader investigation as an alleged gambler.
Because the individual is an active soccer player, a separate investigation was opened. Authorities currently suspect involvement in illegal betting on matches and tax offenses.
The arrest follows a series of arrests carried out last week as part of the Lahav 433 investigation, happening in full cooperation with the Israel Football Association.
According to investigators, the player is suspected of systematically and illegally gambling in a way that is incompatible with his status as an active player of a leading club.
Police said additional suspects and others connected to the case are expected to be questioned soon.
Arrest part of a wider probe into money laundering, gambling
The investigation is part of a broader effort to combat protection rackets, money laundering, and illegal gambling.
Last week, officers from Lahav 433's Northern Economic Crime Unit, together with counterterrorism officers, Border Police officers, Enforcement Operations Coordination Manager (EOM) officers, and Tax Authority investigators from Haifa and the north, raided the homes and businesses of members of a violent criminal gang in Migdal Ha'emek.
Authorities carried out searches, arrests, and detentions of dozens of suspects on suspicion of extortion, operating illegal gambling networks, money laundering, and other offenses.
During the operation, investigators seized assets, an airsoft pistol, and luxury vehicles.
According to police, the investigation centers on a particularly violent and dangerous gang that operated in Migdal Ha'emek and the northern region. The gang is suspected of committing serious offenses, including money laundering, operating illegal betting lines, providing loans at usurious interest rates, and extorting dozens of victims through threats.