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ROME, April 12 – Footballers Ángel Di María and Leandro Paredes have strongly denied any participation in illegal gambling activities, following media reports indicating they are among a dozen footballers under investigation in an expanding Italian betting scandal.
Italian prosecutors, building on a probe that led to lengthy suspensions for Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali and Fiorentina’s Nicolò Fagioli, have shifted focus to a new group of players alleged to have been linked to unregulated betting operations. Authorities are examining whether these players had any financial ties to unauthorized platforms, including online poker and non-football sporting events.
Reports from La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera indicate that the list of individuals under scrutiny includes some high-profile names across Serie A and beyond, such as Juventus duo Weston McKennie and Mattia Perin, Milan's Alessandro Florenzi, Fiorentina’s Nicolò Zaniolo, Atalanta’s Raoul Bellanova, and Leeds United defender Junior Firpo.
Investigators allege that players may have funneled large sums of money to individuals running illegal betting websites, with luxury jewelry shops in Milan allegedly used as fronts to launder payments. These transactions reportedly occurred between December 2021 and October 2023. Authorities have seized over €1.5 million from five suspects and a company connected to the operation, though no players have been arrested at this stage.
In public responses, both Di María and Paredes have issued categorical denials via social media.
“I want to make it clear that I have never placed any illegal bets,” Di María stated on Instagram, distancing himself from the allegations. Paredes echoed the sentiment, writing: “Contrary to recent media reports, I have never made any type of bet—legal or otherwise.”
While prosecutors continue to analyze digital communication and financial records, sources close to the investigation say there is no current evidence that the players involved placed bets on football matches.
As for the newly implicated players, legal experts suggest that if wrongdoing is established, they could face financial penalties and possible sporting sanctions, depending on the severity and their level of involvement. The Italian Football Federation is expected to launch its own disciplinary process once the criminal inquiry concludes.
The investigation has once again put the spotlight on the intersection of professional football and gambling in Italy, a relationship that has increasingly come under scrutiny following a series of scandals over the past year.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels / Aidan Howe
