Brazilian football match-fixing scandal

Máfia do Apito (literally meaning Whistle's Mafia), sometimes called Escândalo do Apito (meaning Whistle's Scandal), was the name given by the Brazilian press to the football match-fixing scandal denounced by Veja magazine on September 23, 2005.

Overview

Some investors, who were not related to any club, bribed referees Edílson Pereira de Carvalho (a member of the FIFA referee staff) and Paulo José Danelon to fix results according to what was determined by the betting websites Aebet and Futbet. The investors made a deal with Edílson Pereira de Carvalho to fix the results of the matches refereed by him, and then, the investors made millionaire bets in the betting websites. Edílson Pereira de Carvalho said that he agreed to receive R$10,000 (US$4,400) to fix the result of the Brazilian National Championship match between Juventude and Figueirense, and that he was paid between R$10,000 and R$15,000 per fixed match. Edílson Pereira de Carvalho said he accepted the money to fix the results only because he had a R$30,000 debt.

The eleven Brazilian National Championship matches refereed by Edílson Pereira de Carvalho were made null and void by the Supreme Court of Sporting Justice (STJD), presided by Luiz Zveiter, even though Edílson Pereira de Carvalho assured he did not fix all eleven matches. The Supreme Court decided that all eleven matches needed to be replayed. This decision was not popular among the board of directors and supporters of the...
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