Court amends football match-fixing verdict

A court has amended and recategorized sentences in a football match-fixing case.
The second-tier Tallinn Circuit Court amended a first-tier county court ruling that had found six men guilty of match-fixing, reclassifying the offenses to computer fraud. It also wound up proceedings against one defendant, primarily because they are now deceased, and partly adjusted the remaining sentences and distribution of legal costs.
Before 2022, Anton Sereda and Nikolai Lõsanov allegedly led a match-fixing group that manipulated football results in three Estonian and two Latvian matches for financial gain through betting.
The circuit court ruled that using automated betting systems made the case computer fraud, not ordinary fraud. It found Anton Sereda guilty of three counts of computer fraud and one attempted count, and Nikolai Lõsanov guilty of two counts and one attempted count, upholding their original sentences and probation.
Sereda, Andrei Lomov, and Lõsanov were all found guilty of computer fraud-related offenses and received six-month suspended sentences with one-year probation; Anton Ljubejev's case was dropped due to his demise.
In all other respects, the Tallinn Circuit Court left unchanged the decision of Harju County Court of April 24, 2025, and partly upheld the defense attorneys' appeals.
The circuit court's decision has not yet entered into force and can be appealed at the Supreme Court within 30 days.
According to the original indictment, the gang had organized a cartel before 2022 specializing in match-fixing to manipulate football match results for financial gain, in Estonia and in Latvia. The match-fixing allegedly involved soliciting players to play to a pre-agreed score, and providing inside information to bettors.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Henrik Laever










