Udinese’s goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, is currently under investigation by the Udine Public Prosecutor’s Office following reports of significant betting activity linked to his booking during a match against Lazio on 11 March 2024.
The alert was raised by betting company Sisal, which employs algorithms to detect unusual betting patterns. During the match, Okoye received a yellow card in the 64th minute, with Udinese leading 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Investigators have conducted searches of properties associated with both Okoye and another individual, Diego Giordano, a local pizzeria owner frequented by Udinese players. The searches aimed to uncover any betting receipts or relevant communications. Reports suggest a possible verbal agreement may have been made between the parties during gatherings at Giordano’s establishment, potentially executed at a Sisal betting outlet in the city.
Okoye’s legal representatives have dismissed the allegations as “completely unfounded.”
This investigation adds to a series of match-fixing concerns in Italian football, including the arrest of Lazio’s captain, Stefano Mauri, in 2012.
As the inquiry is ongoing, further details are awaited.
