Pro soccer player arrested on suspicion of financial crimes, links to northern gang

National League athlete allegedly engaged in systemic gambling and match-fixing, worked with violent group allegedly operated by imprisoned mob boss

Police arrested a professional soccer player Sunday on suspicion of gambling, fixing games and other financial crimes as part of his alleged ties to a gang in northern Israel.

His arrest was part of a larger investigation into a violent gang based in Migdal Ha’emek, whose members are suspected of taking orders from a mob boss currently behind bars.

The probe is being conducted by investigators in the Lahav 433 major crimes unit.

“The arrest this morning joins arrests that were carried out last week, in full cooperation with the Israel Football Association,” police said in a statement.

The detained suspect plays in the National League, Israel’s second division.

Law enforcement said they suspected the athlete of “gambling in a systemic, illegal manner that is not appropriate for one who is an active soccer player in a senior league.”

Police said that investigators planned to interrogate others suspected of involvement in the gang’s activity.

Lahav 433 officers went public with the investigation into the gang last Wednesday, shortly after arresting dozens of suspects during a string of morning raids in Migdal Ha’emek. Police did not disclose how many were detained in the raids.

Police seized real estate assets, luxury cars, cash and an airsoft gun during the searches.

At the same time, prison guards raided the cell of the alleged ringleader, Yossi Buskila, who is currently serving an eight-year sentence in Shita Prison after he was jailed for his role in two failed assassination attempts, in Beit Shemesh and Yokne’am.

Buskila reached a plea deal with the prosecution and avoided being convicted on charges of attempted murder. Police reportedly believe he has been keeping in touch with his contacts while behind bars, effectively operating the a gang via phone calls made from prison.

He is due to go free in two years, Channel 12 reported.

According to police, the suspects arrested are part of a “cruel criminal apparatus” that took over gambling establishments and provided victims loans at exorbitant interest rates, then threatened them with violence when they failed pay them back.

The gang is responsible for “setting property and businesses on fire, instilling fear and intimidation in debtors and their families and terrorizing law-abiding citizens while cynically exploiting their economic distress,” police said.