United States midfielder Weston McKennie is one of 13 soccer players being investigated in Italy for involvement in illegal online betting, according to various media reports. The investigation by Milan prosecutors is linked to information provided by Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Fagioli in 2023. Both players, who had already served lengthy bans, agreed to plea deals that included therapy for gambling addiction.
Fagioli, currently on loan at Fiorentina, was handed a seven-month ban after admitting to betting on matches, while Tonali, now at Newcastle, received a 10-month suspension for placing bets on games, including those involving his former team, AC Milan. Both players are now part of the new investigation, along with McKennie, who was Fagioli’s teammate at Juventus, and nine other current or former Serie A players, including Leeds defender Junior Firpo.
While there’s no indication that the other players bet on soccer matches, their names surfaced in the investigation based on statements from Tonali and Fagioli, as well as analysis of their devices. The players are being looked at for using illegal betting and poker platforms for wagers on other sports. As a result, they are not facing bans but could face fines of up to 250 euros ($284) from Italian authorities.
Additionally, Tonali and Fagioli are accused of promoting these illegal betting sites to other players. Fagioli mentioned in his deposition that he had directed former Aston Villa forward Nicolò Zaniolo to illegal betting sites, where he could place bets on roulette or poker. Fagioli also said the operators of the sites offered him perks if he brought in more users. A message from Fagioli’s phone also referenced Zaniolo, saying, “Bravo, capture him, work for me.”
