Naples Carabinieri police on Monday executed 10 arrest warrants for suspects alleged involved in betting-related match-fixing of games in Italy's second tier, Serie B, organised by the Campania mafia, the Camorra, sources said Monday. Investigators suspect the Camorra used major sums to corrupt players to influence the results of two matches - Modena-Avellino on March 17, 2014 and Avellino-Reggina on May 25 of the same year. Seven of the suspects are in custody while the other three are under house arrest. Armando Izzo, a defender for Serie A Genoa who used to play for Avellino, is under investigation but has not been arrested, sources said. Another former Avellino player, Francesco Millesi, who now plays for a non-league club, and ex-professional Luca Pini are also being probed. Italian soccer has been hit by a series of match-fixing scandals in recent years.
Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) Prosecutor Stefano Palazzi on Monday started the procedure to open a sporting probe after Naples prosecutors uncovered alleged attempts by the Camorra to fix two Serie B matches in 2014, ANSA sources said on Monday. Palazzi has spoken via telephone to Naples prosecutor Filippo Beatrice and he will receive the investigation documents in the coming days, the sources said. Andrea Abodi, the Serie B league president, said the case was "serious" even if it was "limited to two games". "It's the umpteenth attack by organised crime on soccer," Abodi told ANSA.
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