EXCLUSIVE Who is Marius Sanda, one of the footballers arrested for betting tips » Kicked out of the club in the winter, postac and ultras Dinamo in his spare time

• CONTEXT: The Romanian police carried out 34 home searches at dawn on Wednesday 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 large-scale scandal concerning matches rigged by CS Păulești for betting is expanding rapidly. According to the latest information, four of the suspects targeted by the authorities, targeted by today's raids, are currently in Câmpina Police custody. According to GSP information, they will be presented to the court with a proposal to arrest them for 24 hours.

Gabi Matei, a footballer with a well-known CV – over 130 matches on the first stage at FCSB, Pandurii, FC Brașov, Clinceni, FC Argeș – is therefore among those detained. The right-back was registered at FCSB from 2011 to 2015, with Becali paying 600,000 euros to get him from Pandurii.

However, less information is known about the other player who will spend the night in jail.

Who is Marius Sanda, the footballer detained for alleged involvement in match-fixing

Who is Marius Sanda?

Originally from Argeș county, Sanda, 33 years old, started football in the “county”, performing for various Argeș League 5 formations, such as Viitorul Bârla and Viitorul Lunca Corbului. From the county football circuit, he took the step to FC Argeș 1953, the supporters' team, during the period when FC Argeș had disbanded, and the fans had created their own team.

Sanda initially performed as a striker – he was a goalscorer in League 5 – then, when he made the step to the professionals, he reshaped himself, becoming a central defender and, when needed, occupying other defensive positions.

After his successful experience at FC Argeș 1953, Sanda got several contracts in League 3. He went to Vedița Colonești, Muscelul Câmpulung (with which he was promoted to League 2) but also to CS Păulești, the club involved in the scandal of the moment in Romanian football. There he would have played a key role in match-fixing, participating, according to sources connected to the investigation – in the manipulation of matches in personal interest.

He returned to Muscelul Câmpulung, then the club gave him wind

Sanda, one of the leaders of the network targeted by the prosecutors, played for the last time at the second division Muscelul Câmpulung, a club that released him during this competitive break. Financier Claudiu Ciolan revealed to GSP.ro, on January 29, that he fears unclean practices at his own club.

Sanda had returned to Câmpulung this very winter, from CS Păulești. He went to the training camp held in Croatia by the Argeş team, then the club suddenly dismissed him at the beginning of February. A person from the leadership of the second division recounts: “When we decided on the strategy, we made it clear that we could not rely on him, there was no question of him staying.”

Previously, he had been a starter in the friendly match between Muscelul Câmpulung and FC Botoșani, right in the first days of 2026. The Moldovans prevailed 5-1 in the test played in Buftea.

Sanda had performed once before at Câmpulung: “We had no work, while he was here there were no problems. He just didn't stay long.”

He frequented Dinamo's matches on the lawn

From the information obtained by GSP.ro, Sanda is an ardent fan of Dinamo, being often caught at the “dogs” matches in Peluza Cătălin Hîldan.

The footballer often posted from the matches of his favorite team, appearing in the stands and during the “barrage” round with FC Argeș in May 2023. “Set”, was the short description that Sanda published on his Facebook account, after the victory of the red and whites with FC Argeș, 6-1.

He shared controversial posts online: “We're dying with you guys!”

His activity on social networks was, however, a controversial one. In recent months, they had been shared on his Facebook profile numerous fake-news posts promoting conspiracy theories or containing incitement to violence.

Bets placed at several houses, so as not to be detected

Those who participated in the betting counters they benefited from earnings worth 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.

According to Gazeta's information, among the matches investigated, 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 friendly with Metaloglobus (0-7 on July 14, 2025), the October 2025 match with the “satellite” of Sepsi OSK, 0-1, following whose coach Fadi Haddad resigned, but also the round-trip games with Blejoi (0-2, 0-0).

Following the administration of probation, 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.

– Communicated by the Romanian Police