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Professional Club being investigated for Money Laundering...
ForeverAddickted
Posts: 94,288
At least one professional football club is under investigation for alleged money laundering, security minister Ben Wallace has revealed.
Wallace told MPs "a club or clubs" were being looked into when asked about the issue at a Treasury Select Committee meeting on Tuesday.
"I couldn't reveal how many and what they are, for that is an operational matter," he added.
He said to reveal more details could "threaten investigations".
But he admitted: "The sports industry is as susceptible as anything else to dirty money being invested or their organisations being used as a way to launder money."
Wallace was speaking after Labour MP John Mann asked him: "When it comes to money laundering, how many professional football clubs have been deemed as requiring investigation currently?"
The minister also pointed out "not enough" had come from football authorities to help tackle the issue.
A National Crime Agency spokeswoman said the body would "not confirm or deny the existence of investigations".
She added: "We have not charged any professional football clubs with money laundering, and there are none currently in the court process."
A 2009 report by the international Financial Action Task Force said football could be targeted by money launderers because it involves large sums of money crossing international borders.
In 2016 police in Portugal, with help from European crime agency Europol, broke up a Russian mafia money laundering ring which targeted struggling football clubs. The Operation Matrioskas team said it discovered links to the UK, as well as Austria, Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Moldova.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46039035
Wallace told MPs "a club or clubs" were being looked into when asked about the issue at a Treasury Select Committee meeting on Tuesday.
"I couldn't reveal how many and what they are, for that is an operational matter," he added.
He said to reveal more details could "threaten investigations".
But he admitted: "The sports industry is as susceptible as anything else to dirty money being invested or their organisations being used as a way to launder money."
Wallace was speaking after Labour MP John Mann asked him: "When it comes to money laundering, how many professional football clubs have been deemed as requiring investigation currently?"
The minister also pointed out "not enough" had come from football authorities to help tackle the issue.
A National Crime Agency spokeswoman said the body would "not confirm or deny the existence of investigations".
She added: "We have not charged any professional football clubs with money laundering, and there are none currently in the court process."
A 2009 report by the international Financial Action Task Force said football could be targeted by money launderers because it involves large sums of money crossing international borders.
In 2016 police in Portugal, with help from European crime agency Europol, broke up a Russian mafia money laundering ring which targeted struggling football clubs. The Operation Matrioskas team said it discovered links to the UK, as well as Austria, Estonia, Germany, Latvia and Moldova.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46039035
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Comments
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Money laundering you say..... that explains the laundry basket.6
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Strange timing with all that corruption in Belgium...0
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Doubt this includes Charlton... Douchebag doesnt have it in him2
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Rather a wishy washy allegation IMO.0
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Wouldn’t be the first time. Fisher Athletic.0
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Can't he use that parliament priveldege thingy to say what team it is0
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It's just business, they shouldn't take it Persil.1
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Truly atrocious.Chunes said:It's just business, they shouldn't take it Persil.
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Omo God, what a terrible punChunes said:It's just business, they shouldn't take it Persil.
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I thought it was funny. Take Comfort in that @Chunespaulsturgess said:
Truly atrocious.Chunes said:It's just business, they shouldn't take it Persil.
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Looking particularly into the transfer of fabreze muamba.4
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Have those clubs had a considerable Bounce?4
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It says professional club1
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Need to surf the net to find more information.2
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Used to go and watch them all the time. Mate was manager and a couple of mates played for em. Bandit country round there....Redrobo said:Wouldn’t be the first time. Fisher Athletic.
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Bold claims.3
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Good to see the Government getting involved. Hopefully we can turn the Tide on this disgraceful behaviour!0
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Dunno about money laundering, more like flushing it down the drain in most clubs. Daz what I think anyway.0
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I’d be astonished if this one is close to home. Most likely foreign money from a lot further afield than Belgium. Duchatelet might be many things but I don’t think crook is one of them.0
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Now now... Seems like you've got an Axe to grind. I would come back with an even better pun but I've got a load on at the moment.paulsturgess said:
Truly atrocious.Chunes said:It's just business, they shouldn't take it Persil.
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Only a rumour but a couple people on twitter saying it's us, one chap with no connections to the club.0
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could that go back to the Jiminez days and has cropped up as a result of his court cases.... I wonder... and involves our club? We know there were problems that DD has bought up prior to Duchatelet buying us. Is this another reason why sale has not gone through yet?1
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That must be Roland!J BLOCK said:Only a rumour but a couple people on twitter saying it's us, one chap with no connections to the club.
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Daz it, I’ve had enough of this nonsense!0
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Cant say I would be surprised if a number of clubs were found out to be laundering money. You cannot tell me all theses foreign owners are buying our football clubs because they see it as a good business.4
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I was rather hoping it was Abramovich and Chelsea...1
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Unregulated business with millions flowing through internationally, generally loss making companies and ownership often overseas and regularly fairly shady characters.
I’m well surprised money laundering could be a feature in football.3 -
I should think football is awash with money laundering.4
