LISBON, Portugal – A lawyer says two men arrested in Portugal on suspicion of forming part of a Russian mafia group that allegedly infiltrated a Portuguese soccer club to launder money have been denied bail and ordered to remain in preventive custody.
Alexander Tolstikov, president of third-division Uniao de Leiria and Sergiu Renita, his aide, were detained by Lisbon’s Central Criminal Court, the defendants’ lawyer Joaquim Malafia told journalists Saturday.
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Pedro Violante, the club’s financial adviser, was released but ordered to not to leave Portugal.
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Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, said Portuguese and European police on Tuesday raided the club and arrested three suspected key members of a Russian mafia gang.
An agency statement said the suspects allegedly laundered millions of euros through player transfers, TV rights deals and betting.
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