Portuguese club Benfica is under investigation for match-fixing, according to reports in Portugal quoted by the Daily Mail. Benfica, who are the current Primeira Liga leaders, are under investigation over hacked emails opened by prosecutors covering a four-year period between 2016 and 2020.
The investigation comes just a year and a half after the club’s president, Luis Filipe Vieira, was forced to resign after being arrested on charges of tax evasion, aggravated fraud, forgery and money laundering.
Former Benfica, AC Milan and Portugal star Rui Costa, who became vice president of the club in 2020 but took over as president when Vieira stepped down, is also reportedly involved in the investigation.
According to the Daily Mail, the investigation claims Benfica benefited from a series of fraudulent results over the period 2016-2020.
“Taking into account the news made public today, Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol SAD confirms that it appeared in court on January 3, as well as, among others, the members of the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2020 and who are currently in office ‘ read a statement from Benfica, acknowledging the investigation.
“Benfica SAD will not comment further as the process is a legal secret. Benfica expresses its full willingness to cooperate with the competent authorities, as it has always done so far,” it added.