this is bbc news. we will have the headlines and all the main news stories at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. 0h! something special is happening here tonight! unbelievable! football has never here tonight! unbelievable! football has never been here tonight! unbelievable! football has never been more popular. it is truly the global game. cheering.

the top players and millions. but, at the other end of the scale, players are paid just a few hundred pounds. the football industry worldwide is worth billions, and even in lower leagues, huge amounts can be made both legally and illegally. it can be big profits and buying and selling players but also through gambling. in the welsh premier league alone, £160 million is gambled on matches every year, and that's just the money we know about. more is gambled on black markets across the world. go! go! and it's money that can attract the wrong kind of people to the sport. i think it's fair to say that corruption has always been around football. kevin carpenter is a lawyer, specialising in sports integrity, and he has advised

football authorities across europe. more specifically we are talking about match fixing, we're talking of money issues of conflicts of interest, bribery, so all those kinds of times, within this broad idea of corruption within football. with more money coming in over the years, it is becoming more attractive to people wanting to make fast money, and of course you are thinking about things at the top level of the sport but when you get further down the levels that's when the further corruption seems to happen. and it is on one of those lower leagues that we get the tip. it is about a new striker playing for a club in wales. he'sjust arrived in llanelli town from italy, and we were told he may have links with professional match fixes. foreign emile n'goy is originally from the democratic republic of the congo, has played in france, portugal and italy. we have as two

undercoverjournalists italy. we have as two undercover journalists to italy. we have as two undercoverjournalists to make undercover journalists to make contact undercoverjournalists to make contact with emile, and they are hoping to meet him at a llanelli match. they exchanged phone numbers and meet again a few weeks later. the undercover journalist tells emile he is looking for investment opportunities for illicit black—market funds. so, emile says he will talk to his brother about it. a week later, emile has news, he has trials at another club.

emile does leave llanelli for a new club, but he ends up playing in scotland. they have told emile that they represent overseas businessmen who want to invest illegal black—market money into football. they also plan to bring up betting on football and fixing, and at that point, emile should walk away. brett national footballers are forbidden from even entering into discussions about it.

paying players to deliberately make corners, free cakes and throws happen is illegal, it is called spot fixing, but what does it actually involve? if this was a real match, i could go on my phone and bet on the outcome of the game, but crucially i could bet on moments in the game as it happens. but, the number of yellow cards, and ever player

will be sent off... i could bet on the number of corners there could be in the first half, even perhaps how many throw ins they will be in, say, the first five minutes of the game. it isn'tjust punters who can place these bets. criminal gangs around the world also want a piece of this billion—dollar action. want a piece of this billion—dollaraction. but, the key thing is, the criminals aren't gambling. they know what's going to happen because they have paid off players or officials to do exactly what they want. it's called fixing, and they can't lose. while the criminals then assure the odds are stacked in their favour, it can leave traces of evidence. a team of investigators brought in by football authorities in ukraine were successful in uncovering allegations of a multi—million pound operation.

before the war with russia, i met the man in charge. we are investigating we asked francesco to analyse the movement of odds and a number of games involving welsh teams over three years. have you seen suspicious betting patterns in wales as well?

francesco has found two matches both in llanelli town that you think should have alerted authorities. even though the score was 0—0? the away team to win? i suppose, you could just argue they were playing a lot stronger? statistics? 0k. what about this, what does it say about this, what does it say about this, what does it say about this betting pattern. looking at this, the statistics, you would say it is a very suspicious match? there is no evidence llanelli town was involved in fixing. the football association of wales as sports radar, which monitors betting patterns didn't find any integrity concerns with the two llanelli matches. but betting

irregularities at matches aren't proof of fixing on their own. 0ur undercoverjournalist continue to gather evidence against llanelli player, emile n'goy. fixings has already been discussed and now he suggests another meeting.

football player emile n'goy has delivered on his promise, his brother, hermes, has got in touch and wants to be does. —— meet up. our undercover journalists have already discussed investing illegal money and gambling. and, the discussion turns to spot fixing, illegally manipulating moments in a

match. they discuss with hermes at legitimate ways to make money in football, and also how to make money illegally from fixing in at matches. he calls this a black strategy.

hermes says he will find the players that can fix in the lower leagues of europe where there is less scrutiny. in ukraine, football authorities brought francesco�*s to men to tackle this very problem. —— team in.

so they deliberately avoid the big competitions because those are monitored? francesco is taking me to see one of those minor matches that he says could be more vulnerable to fixers. in an effort to tackle fixing, authorities here have made it illegal for smaller games like this to be offered live on betting markets without a licence. but, some unregulated companies tried to get around it. they pay people called data skates to go to matches and send them live information,

which can include covertly filming games. what can you tell is about this game customer has been offered? the concern is, because it is being offered live, this game might now be vulnerable to fixers. francesco�*s team have spotted a man acting suspiciously. they have noted a phone in his coat pocket, and they think he is illegally using it to film the match live for betting companies.

francesco and his team ask the man to leave, but he doesn't go far and they believe he is still sending data from just outside the ground. but there is nothing more they can do. he says he is doing nothing illegal and it is all for his own personal use and of course it doesn't necessarily mean that this game is fixed. why are the lower leagues potentially vulnerable to corruption?— potentially vulnerable to corruption? potentially vulnerable to corrution? , , corruption? because there is less scrutiny _ corruption? because there is less scrutiny at _ corruption? because there is less scrutiny at that - corruption? because there is less scrutiny at that level. i i less scrutiny at that level. i mean, although football is the richer sport in the world, the governing bodies and the differing national associations

have a realjob to have the funding, the time, the general resource to deal with every single level.— single level. footballing authorities _ single level. footballing authorities sometimes l single level. footballing i authorities sometimes find single level. footballing - authorities sometimes find it difficult to monitorfixing. at fifa and uefa have warned the dangers it poses.— dangers it poses. recognise, resist, report. _ dangers it poses. recognise, resist, report. but— dangers it poses. recognise, resist, report. but is- dangers it poses. recognise, resist, report. but is that - resist, report. but is that message _ resist, report. but is that message getting - resist, report. but is that. message getting through? resist, report. but is that - message getting through? our message getting through? 0ur undercoverjournalists have heard back from the recruiter hermes. he's got players willing to fix, and they are prepared to meet. hermes and his brother emile have now found three other players who they say want to get involved in the spot fixing scheme. the players are from france and belgium, and one says he's had trials for a uk club in the lower levels of english football.

all three footballers have been given the chance to walk away, but they seem happy to stay. in the conversation soon turns to the conversation soon turns to the players's payment. they then discuss how much extra of the players could expect for fixing extra of the players could expect forfixing moments in extra of the players could expect for fixing moments in a match.

the players are eager to cash in, and they make it admission. —— they make an admission.

emile, who has played for teams in england, scotland and wales, is the only footballer in the room saying he hasn't fixed before. hermes says that players in those two key positions would help make the plan work. hermes has managed to find players

willing to illegally spot fix, despite the fact they could face serious repercussions. we wa nt we want to find out more about this secretive world, and we've made contact with a convicted match fixer, and he agreed to meet me in frankfurt.- meet me in frankfurt. hello, how are you. _ meet me in frankfurt. hello, how are you, 0k? _ meet me in frankfurt. hello, how are you, ok? good - meet me in frankfurt. hello, how are you, ok? good to i meet me in frankfurt. hello, i how are you, ok? good to see you, good to see you.- how are you, ok? good to see you, good to see you. mario was cau~ht in you, good to see you. mario was caught in 2009. _ you, good to see you. mario was caught in 2009, not _ you, good to see you. mario was caught in 2009, not by - caught in 2009, not by footballing authorities, but by police investigating an organised crime gang, who happened to hear someone talking about match fixing on a phone tap. mario claims that of the 60

match as he admits he fixed, none were flagged by football authorities as suspicious. it has been three months since our undercover journalist it has been three months since our undercoverjournalist met with hermes, who claims to have been a football agent. hermes outlines how much the players should be paid for fixing during the game.

hermes also tells us how much he expects to be paid. with expenses, he is asking for nearly 140,000 euros a year. he also suggest bringing in two more people to help run the fixing operation, and one of them is a former senior member of staff at the top italian

club, ac milan. in order to make the plan work, they've buying a club in italy where the players can fix. the deal is done. the next time he sees us, he's expecting us to show up with the cash. terry steen has worked as an investigator for fifa, with responsibility for rooting out corruption and fixing across the world. we asked him to examine our undercover footage. the fact they are there, they are listening and they are

agreeing to what has been proposed again, they shouldn't be there and they shouldn't be even listening to that kind of chat. so that his evidence in itself that they are in the room that they are willing to take part. he's got players on board, like—minded, that will do what he wants them to do already. so yes, i think is deadly serious. it is one of the hardest things to investigate, without the full weight of a police force behind you with the tools. it is about the ability to go after these people and follow the money right to the end. what might be the consequences for the three players who'd had agreed to fix if they had gone through with it? we asked sports lawyer kevin carpenter. you are looking at for a first—time offence, and it was 'ust first—time offence, and it was just a — first—time offence, and it was just a one _ first—time offence, and it was just a one off, so i'm not talking _ just a one off, so i'm not talking about that it might be a series—

talking about that it might be a series of fixtures they've manipulated, you are talking long — manipulated, you are talking long bans. long bands, years, between — long bans. long bands, years, between seven years upwards for a first—time match fixing offence, so essentially the end offence, so essentially the end of your— offence, so essentially the end of your career. in football of your— of your career. in football of your career is relatively short _ your career is relatively short. ~ your career is relatively short. ., short. we contacted all three -la ers short. we contacted all three players will _ short. we contacted all three players will stop _ short. we contacted all three players will stop none - short. we contacted all three players will stop none of i short. we contacted all threel players will stop none of them responded, but the recruiter hermes strongly denied —— told us they strongly denied doing anything illegal. and what about hermes himself? he was prepared to recruit players and fix matches. i am from the bbc trust that we have some evidence suggesting that you may be willing to pay players to manipulate games. do you have any response to that? about what?— about what? about paying players? _ about what? about paying players? through - about what? about paying players? through your i about what? about paying i players? through your brother, who is a footballer, we haven't been involved in trying to recruit players? me been involved in trying to recruit players?— been involved in trying to recruit players? me and my brother we _ recruit players? me and my brother we have _ recruit players? me and my brother we have never i recruit players? me and my| brother we have never been involved in...—

brother we have never been involved in. . .- no. i involved in... fixing? no. nothing _ involved in... fixing? no. nothing at _ involved in... fixing? no. nothing at all? _ involved in... fixing? no. nothing at all? have i involved in... fixing? no. nothing at all? have you| involved in... fixing? no. i nothing at all? have you been discussing with some players to maybe take a red card, a yellow card, corners, 500 euros for a red card?— card, corners, 500 euros for a red card? ha. you have never red card? no. you have never done this— red card? i157. you have never done this before? red card? no. you have never done this before? so - red card? no. you have never done this before? so you i red card? no. you have never| done this before? so you have no recollection _ done this before? so you have no recollection -- _ done this before? so you have no recollection -- i _ done this before? so you have no recollection -- i don't i done this before? so you have j no recollection -- i don't know no recollection —— i don't know what you are talking about. [30 what you are talking about. do ou what you are talking about. do you deny at all, yeah? no. i you deny at all, yeah? no. thank yon _ you deny at all, yeah? no. thank you. hermes - you deny at all, yeah? no. thank you. hermes later l thank you. hermes later contacted us and told us again that he and his brother emile strongly deny doing anything illegal. football is left around the world, but we've shown how easily the beautiful game can be tainted by the ugly side of the sport. hello again. we had some warm spells

of sunshine around on wednesday but also some scattered showers, particularly across northern and eastern areas. one or two heavy ones mixed in. but in the west, a largely fine day — some lovely sunshine there in anglesey. satellite picture, at the moment, shows largely clear skies, but we do have some thicker cloud approaching from the northwest. that's going to be bringing some rain into northern ireland, as we head deeper into thursday, but for the time being, the skies are clear in most areas and it's another pretty chilly night, really, underneath those clear skies, with light winds for the time of year. we are looking at temperatures down to around 5—7 celsius for a number of you, which is on the cool side, certainly, forjune. now, looking at the pressure charts, pressure's actually rising a little bit across the uk, but then we've got this weather front — that area of cloud i showed you a moment ago — well, that is set to swing its way in, so cloud will increase across northern ireland, and we'll steadily see outbreaks of rain moving in here, turning quite heavy, by the time we get to the afternoon. scotland, england and wales, a lovely sunny start to the morning, if somewhat cool, but those temperatures will quickly rise. a bit of cloud bubbles up.

that could bring a few scattered showers to scotland and northern england, but for many, it's a dry day. temperatures a bit higher — 18 in glasgow, but we're into 19—21 kind of territory for england and wales, so it is warmer. that warmer trend to the weather continues into friday, but again, friday not wholly dry. there will be a a few showers, this time across wales, northwest england, western scotland and northern ireland. again, pretty well spaced out, so you do have a chance of missing them. the emphasis is still on some warm spells of sunshine, for most. temperatures quite widely reaching the high teens to low 20s. now, this weekend, the weather will stay fine across the north of the uk, so scotland, northern ireland and northern england keeping the dry weather and sunshine, but the weather starts to get more iffy in the south. you see, on saturday, we'll start to see some thundery showers move up from the near continent, the greatest risk of those probably across the southwest of england and south wales. there will be a few more storms coming up through saturday night, and then into sunday, the storms kind of merge together to give some spells of heavier rain across parts of england and wales. now, this rain band could vary in position a little bit by the time we get to sunday, but, nevertheless, warm spells

of sunshine, a few showers over the next few days, but we are going to see some heavy, thundery rain developing over the weekend.

welcome to bbc news, i'm chris rogers. our top stories: do you find that mr depp has proven, by clear and convincing evidence, that misheard with actual malice? answer — yes. the hollywood actorjohnny depp wins his multimillion—dollar lawsuit against his former wife amber heard. another shooting incident in the united states — four people are dead at a hospital, in tulsa, 0klahoma. russia accuses the united states of escalating the conflict any crane after president biden promises to send high—tech rockets to help ukrainian forces.

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