The Romanian police carried out 34 home searches at dawn regarding involvement in match-fixing in League 3. According to the authorities' announcement, 21 people were picked up and taken to hearings. All indications show that it is CS Păulești, a club from Prahova.
The Police statement shows that an entire match-fixing network for betting in League 3 has been implemented. On February 25, the police raided 34 homes. The team in question was not mentioned, but it would be CS Păulești, according to Știripesurse.ro. It's the team that kicked the whole lot out earlier this year.
UPDATE at 21:00 » The decision in the case of Raul Papp
Raul Papp, Paul Papp's brother, walked out of the hearings. Because he was the first among those interviewed to tell in detail what happened, Raul, goalkeeper at Păulești, remains under investigation in a state of freedom.
River Papp
The hearings will continue tomorrow. Sorin Popa, first prosecutor of the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Ploiești District Court, leads the case.
UPDATE at 19:30 » Four arrest warrants issued
The authorities have issued four arrest warrants, for footballers Gabi Matei and Marius Sanda, for financier Claudiu Blaga and for Alexandru Cristescu, close to Blaga, according to prosport.ro.
“34 HOME SEARCHES IN A CRIMINAL CASE CONCERNING THE COMMITMENT OF THE CRIME OF FRAUD IN THE FIELD OF SPORTS BETTING.
Following the administration of evidence, 4 people were detained for 24 hours, and they will be presented to the competent prosecutor's office tomorrow, February 26, with a proposal to take another preventive measure.
The activities benefited from the support of the fighters from the Prahova Special Actions Service, the policemen from the General Directorate of Police of the Municipality of Bucharest, the Vâlcea, Argeș and Cluj county police inspectorates, as well as the Ploiești Mobile Gendarmerie Group.
Also, in handling the case, he benefited from the support of the Integrity Department of the Romanian Football Federation.
Throughout the criminal process, the investigated persons benefit from the procedural rights and guarantees provided by the Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as the presumption of innocence”, reads the communique sent by the Romanian Police.
UPDATE at 15:00. The former coach from Păulești, called for hearings
Florin Pripu, former coach at Păulești, the one who was on the bench in the match with Victoria Traian, score 0-4, was called to the hearings. While preparing the League 3 team, he played for CS Local Vărbilău, a League 4 team from Prahova.
Vasile Vasile, the president from Păulești, was also summoned to the hearings.
UPDATE at 13:00. The reaction of Sepsi, the club involved in the case
Sepsi boss Laszlo Dioszegi has reacted to GSP after the club's second team appears in the Ligue 3 match-fixing dossier.
“I don't know anything. Our second team is made up of some perspective players, 17-18 years old, there's no problem getting into these games. There's no problem. If there was something from their side, the boys don't know anything,” says Dioszegi. All the details are HERE.
UPDATE 12:40 p.m. What is Florin Salam's connection with CS Păulești?
The match-fixing investigation by CS Păulești, a third-league team, is also indirectly connected to the matchmaker Florin Salam, his niece's husband being a financier of the Prahov team. All the details – HERE.
UPDATE 12:20 p.m. The reaction of the former coach from CS Păulești: “I was asked to let them beat us”
Fadi Haddad, the club's former coach, spoke to GSP and pointed to two suspicious matches, revealing that he had been questioned by the Police and the FRF.
“But in a match against Sepsi, I was asked to do certain things that were not compatible with my character and I left. It was stage 8.
And, from what I've heard, a check was made in December. And there was another problem at a match in Traian. One of the parents of a junior, Andrei Sora, was vehement and asked the child to leave the field. From there an investigation began with the team and the players,” Haddad said. All details – HERE.
UPDATE at 11:50. New details regarding the investigation from CS Păulești
The latest information from the League 3 match-fixing investigation indicates that investigations are being carried out on the idea of an organized crime group, according to GSP sources.
Original news:
Those who participated in the betting counters had winnings of 840,000 lei, approximately 165,000 euros, according to the authorities.
GSP sources reveal the system: those in question placed bets at several houses, in order not to be detected. They understood which way to play so that the predetermined result would come out.
Last season, CS Păulești was in series 5 of League 3, with Tunari, CS Blejoi, Ștefănești, Urban Titu, Petrolul II, Pucioasa, Flacăra Moreni, ACS FC Dinamo, Sport-Team Bucharest. At the moment, Păulești is in 3rd place in Series 2 of League 3, with 31 points after 17 stages.
Unprecedented descents in Romania! 21 suspects for match fixing
Claudiu Blaga, the financier from Păulești, plus the players Marius Sanda and Gabi Matei would be targeted by the searchesinformation also confirmed by GSP sources.
From the information of the Gazette, among the investigated matches, in addition to that 0-4 with Victoria Traian in December, the “icing on the cake”, where the father of the player Andrei Sora caused a scandal, asking the coach to remove his boy from the field, there is also a friend with Metalloglobus (0-7 on July 14, 2025), October 2025 match with the “satellite” of Sepsi OSK0-1, after which coach Fadi Haddad resigned, as well as the round-trip games with Blejoi (0-2, 0-0).
Andrei Sora's father, George, is a former deputy chief of police in Ploiesti.
The detail that connects these matches is that none of them were filmed, although Păuleștiul used to record and broadcast the matches.
Gabi Matei, among those targeted by the search
Gabi Matei, in the FCSB shirt/ PHOTO Imago Images
Gabi Matei, former FCSB player, left Păulești in January and signed with CSO Teleajenul Vălenii de Munte. In recent years, Matei has reached the lower leagues in Romania, where he played at Filiași, Colonești, Muscelul and Păulești, before signing with Vălenii de Munte.
The right back was at FCSB from 2011 to 2015, with Becali paying €600,000 to get him from Pandurii.
Close associates of Florin Salam would have placed the winning bets on the fixed matches
Among those targeted by the Police raids would be people close to the magician Florin Salam, who are among those who would have placed the bets.
Among those targeted by the Police raids would be people close to the manelist Florin Salam
Police statement: “Several people within a football club would have acted in a coordinated manner with the aim of influencing and altering the outcome of some matches”
“On February 25, 2026, the police officers from the Prahova County Police Inspectorate, the Ploiești Municipality Police and the Bureau for Combating Crimes against the Person and Property executed 34 home search warrants, in a criminal case regarding the commission of the crime of cheating in the field of sports betting.
The activities were carried out in the counties of Prahova, Vâlcea, Argeș, Cluj, Ilfov and Dâmbovița, as well as in the city of Bucharest.
As a result of the research carried out, it emerged that, during the last competitive season, several people within a football club, as well as other people directly connected with it, including team players, would have acted in a coordinated manner, with the aim of influencing and altering the result of some games contested within the III League organized by the Romanian Football Federation.
Subsequently, the investigated persons would have misled sports betting organizers regarding the correctness of the conduct of the matches and the integrity of the sports competition, by placing bets both in the online environment and in professional agencies, creating the appearance of bets in accordance with the legal framework, under the conditions that the results of the matches would have been known and predetermined.
Through these actions, unfair patrimonial benefits in the amount of approximately 840,000 lei would have been obtained. In order to complete the evidence, 21 people were taken to the headquarters of the police unit for questioning, and depending on the factual situation and the evidence administered, the necessary procedural-criminal measures will be ordered.
Also, in handling the case, he benefited from the support of the Integrity Department of the Romanian Football Federation.
Throughout the criminal process, the investigated persons benefit from the procedural rights and guarantees provided by the Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as the presumption of innocence”, is the statement published on politiaromana.ro.
The press release of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: “The recipe for a failed “table”: The match ended with a criminal case!”
The MAI also issued a statement on social networks after the policemen's descent.
“The recipe for a failed “table”: The match ended with a criminal case! Some “strategists” from the III League thought that football is better played in the kitchen than on the lawn. They prepared a generous table and “fixed” the score. Only, at the end of the match, the RED CARD appeared… and not from the referee, but from our colleagues.
Latest statistics:
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The selected batch: 21 people (players and “advisors”) led to hearings.
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The tournament: Prahova, Vâlcea, Argeș, Cluj, Ilfov, Dâmbovița and Bucharest.
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The final score: Fraud is not rewarded, it is investigated.
Our advice for casual “bettors”: If the result is determined before the starting whistle, your ticket is not a win, but a proof on the record. Integrity has no quota at the agency! PS The presumption of innocence remains in force, but the “match” with the law has no extensions”, the MAI said.
