http://www.soccerway.com/news/2007/...gers-newcastle-portsmouth-in-corruption-probe
Written by: AFP
<TABLE style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 20px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=165 align=right bgColor=#000000><TBODY><TR><TD width=15 bgColor=#ffffff>
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</TD></TR><TR><TD width=10 bgColor=#ffffff> </TD><TD align=middle>Lord John Stevens, seen here in 2006, is leading the Quest inquiry into suspicious football transfers. British clubs Newcastle and Glasgow Rangers are under investigation as part of a probe into alleged corruption in football.</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#ffffff colSpan=2 height=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>LONDON (AFP) - Police raided top British clubs Rangers, Newcastle and Portsmouth on Monday as part of a probe into alleged corruption in football.
The three sides admitted they were the clubs involved in the investigation, which also saw the homes of two individuals searched by the City of London Police.
Various authorities have been investigating claims of bribes and bungs in football for several years.
The probe is separate to former Scotland Yard chief Lord John Stevens' ongoing Quest inquiry into alleged irregular transfer payments in the English Premiership.
The City of London Police is running its own probe as it is the national lead force for fraud investigation. No arrests were made Monday, a spokesman for the force told AFP.
"Rangers Football Club was asked to co-operate with the police investigation and have done so," said a spokesman for the Scottish Premier League runners-up.
"We have been requested by police not to comment further while the investigation continues."
Newcastle's owners confirmed the City of London Police executed a search warrant at their St James' Park ground.
"The club itself is not the subject of the investigation," the Magpies stressed in a statement.
"If the investigation by the City of London Police, or the ongoing internal review of operations by the club's new owners, show that the club has been the victim of any criminal activity, the club will take appropriate action."
Fellow English Premiership side Portsmouth admitted they had also received an early visit.
"We can confirm that the police arrived at about 10:00am this morning," said spokesman Gary Double.
"We have co-operated fully with their search and will not be commenting further."
The raids were "in regard to an onging investigation into football corruption by the City of London Police economic crime department", the spokesman for the force told AFP.
"We can confirm that search warrants were served at three football clubs and the homes of two individuals in connection with corruption in football and its impact on owners and shareholders.
"This investigation is a totally independent inquiry.
"It has not been influenced or informed by the Quest inquiry in any way.
"As this is a live investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."
He said the investigation was launched in late 2006. One person has been arrested so far, a 61-year-old man who was bailed until October.
That arrest in May was on suspicion of money laundering and was not related to the main focus of the investigation, he said.
Last month, Stevens, formerly Britain's top police officer, presented a report to the FA Premier League identifying 17 transfers as suspect.
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce, the "super-agent" Pini Zahavi and the deal which took Didier Drogba to Chelsea were all left facing further investigation.
The report, drawn up following a 15-month investigation, identified five clubs -- Newcastle, Portsmouth, Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Allardyce's old side Bolton Wanderers -- as having acquired players in deals which could not be cleared as legitimate.
But Stevens, who examined a total of 362 transfers for evidence of wrong-doing, concluded there was no evidence of illegal payments to club officials or players and said all the clubs named had fully co-operated with his investigation.
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Written by: AFP
<TABLE style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 20px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=165 align=right bgColor=#000000><TBODY><TR><TD width=15 bgColor=#ffffff>
The three sides admitted they were the clubs involved in the investigation, which also saw the homes of two individuals searched by the City of London Police.
Various authorities have been investigating claims of bribes and bungs in football for several years.
The probe is separate to former Scotland Yard chief Lord John Stevens' ongoing Quest inquiry into alleged irregular transfer payments in the English Premiership.
The City of London Police is running its own probe as it is the national lead force for fraud investigation. No arrests were made Monday, a spokesman for the force told AFP.
"Rangers Football Club was asked to co-operate with the police investigation and have done so," said a spokesman for the Scottish Premier League runners-up.
"We have been requested by police not to comment further while the investigation continues."
Newcastle's owners confirmed the City of London Police executed a search warrant at their St James' Park ground.
"The club itself is not the subject of the investigation," the Magpies stressed in a statement.
"If the investigation by the City of London Police, or the ongoing internal review of operations by the club's new owners, show that the club has been the victim of any criminal activity, the club will take appropriate action."
Fellow English Premiership side Portsmouth admitted they had also received an early visit.
"We can confirm that the police arrived at about 10:00am this morning," said spokesman Gary Double.
"We have co-operated fully with their search and will not be commenting further."
The raids were "in regard to an onging investigation into football corruption by the City of London Police economic crime department", the spokesman for the force told AFP.
"We can confirm that search warrants were served at three football clubs and the homes of two individuals in connection with corruption in football and its impact on owners and shareholders.
"This investigation is a totally independent inquiry.
"It has not been influenced or informed by the Quest inquiry in any way.
"As this is a live investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."
He said the investigation was launched in late 2006. One person has been arrested so far, a 61-year-old man who was bailed until October.
That arrest in May was on suspicion of money laundering and was not related to the main focus of the investigation, he said.
Last month, Stevens, formerly Britain's top police officer, presented a report to the FA Premier League identifying 17 transfers as suspect.
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce, the "super-agent" Pini Zahavi and the deal which took Didier Drogba to Chelsea were all left facing further investigation.
The report, drawn up following a 15-month investigation, identified five clubs -- Newcastle, Portsmouth, Chelsea, Middlesbrough and Allardyce's old side Bolton Wanderers -- as having acquired players in deals which could not be cleared as legitimate.
But Stevens, who examined a total of 362 transfers for evidence of wrong-doing, concluded there was no evidence of illegal payments to club officials or players and said all the clubs named had fully co-operated with his investigation.
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