DEVELOPING: Colorado Rapids player allegedly involved in Brazilian gambling scheme

Max's name appears on a list involving players being investigated and charged by Operation Maximum Penalty.

Midfielder Max Alves, former Flamengo player and currently with the Colorado Rapids has been removed by the team from all activities, at least until MLS conducts its own investigation of the matter.

A statement from Major League Soccer. pic.twitter.com/7oZKKRqitV

— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) May 11, 2023

Max's name appeared in a spreadsheet from the Public Ministry of Goiás, indicating that the player was one of the names involved in the betting scheme scandal that broke out in Brazil since the last week.

READ IN PORTUGUESE: URGENTE!!! Max Alves, do Colorado Rapids, estaria envolvido em esquema de apostas

Journalist Gustavo Guimarães tweeted this morning that the athlete's name was among a few others surfacing during the Brazilian investigation. It is unclear if any other players in Major League Soccer are currently involved in the schema.

Max Alves, Colorado Rapids winger, is under investigation by the Brazilian Public Ministry for allegedly received R$60.000 to be booked with a yellow card in the match between his club and the LA Galaxy last season, a fact that actually happened.

His name appears in a document… pic.twitter.com/CgQc5SKMNZ

— Gustavo Guimarães (@GdeGustavo83) May 10, 2023

At the time, Max would be one of six other players who would have received a sum of money to get yellow cards during matches. Max received a yellow in the game between Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy on September 17, 2022. The player was cautioned with the card just under two minutes after entering the course of the game. The game also marked another bizarre moment where Douglas Costa, another Brazilian playing, without explanations, outside the negative result, took down an opposing player after a scuffle during a throw-in.

Concerning Max, a regular starter for coach Robin Fraser, the midfielder would have received an initial deposit of BRL 15 thousand reais, roughly USD 3,000 and after complying with the agreement, should have received another 9k, totaling over 12,000 dollars in compensation.

Here's the video of when Max gets a yellow card:

What is Operation Maximum Penalty?

Operation “Maximum Penalty” points out that criminal groups convinced players to commit specific bids during matches and caused the profit of bettors on branch sites. Bidding varies between penalties and cards – yellow and red.

Until the publication of this article, the advisory of Max Alves did not respond to the contacts of the report.

The Colorado Rapids issued a statement recently, removing the player from all training activities. Major League Soccer also issued a statement confirming the player is no longer participating in activities with the team.

pic.twitter.com/q3fwWcDhew

— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) May 11, 2023

(Cover: Reproduction/Website/Colorado Rapids)

Text in Portuguese By Tiago Brandão;