Espinoza and Ejarque to be named in Argentine match-fixing probe | OneFootball

Argentine referees Fernando Espinoza and Emanuel Ejarque will be named in a criminal complaint on Monday in the match-fixing investigation. According to SuperDepor.com, Civic Coalition deputy Facundo Del Gaiso will file it, alleging AFA treasurer Pablo Toviggino sent money to both.

The funds are said to have moved through Malte SRL, whose account allegedly made the transfers. The company also handled the rollout of VAR in Argentine football and bought a Pilar mansion where luxury cars appeared under Toviggino’s name.

The filing states Malte SRL was run by Juan Pablo Beacon, once a trusted associate of Toviggino and now a cooperating witness, and that payments to referees began in 2020.

One allegation concerns Espinoza, who is said to have received 120,000 pesos, about 1,400 dollars at the time, on 4 December 2020. Call records after Racing’s match with Arsenal on 18 April 2021 reportedly discuss decisions made and mention “Pablo”, supposedly referring to the AFA treasurer and Federal Council president.

Ejarque is accused of receiving at least eight transfers from May 2021 to February 2022, totalling 362,000, equivalent to 3,800 dollars at the relevant exchange rates.

Others named in the case include Luis Lobo Medina, first accused on Thursday 19 March, Adrián Franklin, Jorge Sosa and Federico Beligoy, now AFA’s national refereeing director.

Del Gaiso also alleges Malte SRL received USD 500,000 to implement VAR in the top flight, bought Toviggino’s Pilar mansion for 1,800,000 dollars, and invoices illicitly based on ARCA records.

Source: SuperDepor.com