BOCHUM, Germany (AP) — A chief suspect in what officials have described as Europe’s biggest soccer match-fixing scandal has been released on bail after 17 months in prison.
Ante Sapina was released on bail of $72,300 Friday after providing a comprehensive confession to the court.
In 2005, the 35-year-old Croat was convicted as the mastermind of a match-fixing ring and sentenced to 35 months in prison. He was released early and told the court he resumed betting large sums on manipulated games shortly after the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
On Thursday, the court sentenced three members of the betting ring to prison terms of up to 3 years, 11 months.
