A major international police operation has uncovered a sprawling match-fixing ring in professional tennis, with 14 suspects arrested and 40 tournaments under investigation
A major global crackdown has unveiled a vast match-fixing scandal in professional tennis, with police arresting 14 people so far – four of which were former tennis players. The scandal reportedly involved rigged matches in roughly 40 lower-tier tournaments across the globe, generating over €800,000 (£695,000) in illegal betting profits.
Officials say the network bribed players to lose sets or entire matches, deceiving bookmakers and profiting heavily from pre-arranged wagers. The arrests took place simultaneously on October 20 in France, Bulgaria, Spain and Romania, coordinated by prosecutors in Marseille with assistance from Eurojust, the EU agency for judicial cooperation.
In France, five young men – all French nationals between 23 and 29 years old – were detained and later charged with organised fraud, sports corruption and participation in a criminal conspiracy. These suspects, believed to have acted as players or intermediaries, were released under strict judicial oversight, including a full ban on any involvement in tennis-related activities, whether commercial or social.
Prosecutors claim the French suspects created fraudulent player accounts with international betting operators, often using “mules” – third parties – to place bets on predetermined results. The manipulated outcomes were coordinated with corrupt athletes in advance, allowing the operation to defraud bookmakers of large payouts.
“More than €800,000 in winnings have been identified to date, with the acts committed by an organized gang,” the Marseille prosecutor’s office said in a press statement. Investigators uncovered irregular betting patterns across tournaments in Europe, North America, Central America and Africa.
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Central to the operation is a Bulgarian-led criminal group. Bulgarian authorities detained several nationals, including four former tennis players: siblings Karen and Juri Khachatryan, along with Dilyan Yanev and Anzhel Yanev, aged 25 to 31. These individuals face charges of cross-border money laundering and corruption in sports competitions.
The Khachatryan brothers are no strangers to controversy – they were previously sanctioned by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). In 2020, Karen was given a lifetime ban for five proven match-fixing incidents and nine attempts to induce others to lose. Juri received a 10-year suspension for facilitating illicit betting and approaching players to manipulate matches.
The corruption primarily affected Challenger and Futures tournaments – the second and third tiers of professional tennis – held between 2018 and 2024. These events, often overlooked by the media, included players outside the ATP top 100, many of whom faced financial struggles.
The network reportedly targeted these athletes, offering cash to intentionally drop sets or matches. One player told investigators: “They suggested I lose a set. It was too tempting considering my problems.”
Compromised tournaments spanned at least 13 countries: France, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Egypt and Tunisia. Bets focused on precise outcomes, exploiting the limited oversight in these smaller competitions.
The inquiry began in December 2023 after France’s National Gaming Authority (ANJ) and Française des Jeux flagged unusual betting on a doubles match in a third-division tournament in Rodez involving a French pair. This led to investigations of other events and “several other French players.”
Digital evidence seized during the raids is under analysis, with prosecutors promising additional updates as the investigation continues.
This scandal underscores the vulnerabilities at the lower levels of tennis, where prize money is limited and temptation is high. The ITIA has already taken action, imposing administrative suspensions on three French players and penalising a fourth for failing to report corruption attempts.
Tennis officials and betting regulators are calling for stronger protections, including closer monitoring of low-profile tournaments.
As the investigation grows, more arrests may follow, potentially further undermining the sport’s integrity. For now, the arrests deliver a major blow to the underground betting network, but they also serve as a stark reminder: even in the shadows of the pro circuit, corruption can thrive unchecked.