The Israel Police announced on Monday the arrest of 17 individuals affiliated with FC Kiryat Yam, a team in Israel’s second-tier soccer league, in connection with an investigation into match-fixing and money laundering.

Among those detained are current players and senior team officials, all allegedly involved in match manipulation over the past three years. The investigation suggests that these individuals may have connections to a criminal organization that purportedly utilized the club as a vehicle for laundering millions of shekels generated from illegal gambling operations.

Police assert that illicit betting was conducted both domestically and internationally, targeting pre-determined game outcomes. This operation involved sums totaling tens of millions of shekels, with some players reportedly signing multiple contracts.

Legal representatives for several suspects have issued statements declaring their clients’ innocence, emphasizing that they are perplexed by the arrests. They further contend that certain parties may be attempting to obstruct the club’s advancement to the Premier League, the top division of Israeli soccer.