Udinese betting case stays open: Okoye faces fraud trial | OneFootball

The Juventus goalkeeper Maduka Okoye will be judged for alleged irregularities related to bets placed on the match of March 11, 2024. The first hearing is scheduled for May 2026.

Udinese, the Prosecutor’s Office does not close the betting case: Okoye on trial for aggravated fraud

The Udine Prosecutor’s Office has decided not to close the betting case involving Maduka Okoye, the 26-year-old Udinese goalkeeper, a German citizen of Nigerian origin. Public Prosecutor Caterina Pace has issued a direct summons to trial on charges of aggravated fraud, setting the first pre-trial hearing for May 13, 2026, before the Udine Court.

The proceedings revolve around an abnormal flow of bets recorded during the Lazio-Udinese match on March 11, 2024, a match that ended 1-0 for the Biancocelesti.

The investigation: suspicious booking and winnings of over 120,000 euros

According to the Prosecutor’s reconstruction, the key episode would be Okoye’s booking in the 63rd minute of the match, a sanction imposed for time-wasting. An event that, according to checks, was quoted at 8 times the stake and would have generated total winnings of about 120,000 euros, almost exclusively concentrated in the province of Udine.

The investigation hypothesizes that the goalkeeper agreed to the booking with a Friulian businessman, owner of a pizzeria that Okoye frequented regularly. The meeting between the two allegedly took place a few days before the match, during which the contested episode was planned.

The pizzeria owner, thanks to bets placed at multiple betting shops and online, would have collected about 18,000 euros, while two other businessmen involved would have earned 4,000 and 6,200 euros respectively by exploiting the same inside information.

The Prosecutor’s position and the role of Snaitech

The Udine Prosecutor’s Office accuses the suspects of a fraudulent scheme aimed at profiting from a manipulated sporting event. The investigation, which lasted several months, was based on telephone wiretaps, analysis of betting patterns, and testimonies collected from bettors and industry insiders.

Snaitech, one of the main Italian sports betting platforms, is indicated as the injured party in the proceedings, having suffered a direct economic loss due to the abnormal flow of bets concentrated on an event considered unlikely.

The defendants and the trial of May 2026

In addition to Maduka Okoye, the pizzeria owner and the two Friulian businessmen who allegedly participated in the supposed agreement are also defendants. The charge of aggravated fraud marks an important formal step: criminal justice intends to determine whether the conduct actually compromised sporting integrity and the transparency of betting.

The first hearing is set for May 13, 2026, at the Udine Court, where the goalkeeper will have to appear together with the other co-defendants.

Okoye, between the pitch and justice: an increasingly delicate position

After serving a two-month suspension imposed by sports justice for the same incident, Okoye returned to the field last Monday in the match against Cremonese. The situation, however, risks becoming more serious: the criminal proceedings could open new scenarios, with possible disciplinary consequences if further responsibilities emerge.

Udinese Calcio, which is not under investigation, is closely following the developments of the case, currently limiting itself to a position of waiting and trust in the judiciary.

A case that shakes Italian football

The proceedings against Okoye are part of a broader context of controls and investigations related to the world of sports betting in Italy. In recent months, several prosecutor’s offices have intensified checks on suspicious flows and abnormal behavior, a sign of growing attention to the protection of the integrity of the game and the credibility of the football system.

The Udine trial, therefore, does not concern just a single episode, but represents an important precedent for defining the boundaries between individual responsibility and respect for sporting rules.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.