Multi-account ring
Between 23 October and 4 November 2026 one group ran 71 linked accounts to feed players and money into two clubs, Pazin and Saxon United. Every account is banned and both clubs have been sanctioned. Here is what happened and what the league has done.
What happened
The group created throwaway accounts, used them to take over clubs, and moved players and money from those clubs into Pazin and Saxon United. Most throwaway accounts were deleted minutes after use. On 31 October alone, Pazin had a new manager roughly every two to three minutes.
The linked clubs sold players to Pazin and Saxon United far below their value. The group also bought players cheaply from AI clubs, sold to AI clubs at around twice their value, and sold players to real managers at inflated prices.
Our checks did spot the linked accounts and raised alerts, but nothing stopped the trading while those alerts waited for review. That was a failure on our side, and the changes below fix it.
What we found
- 71 accounts controlled by one group.
- 136 transfers between 23 October and 4 November in which at least one club was being run by one of those accounts at the time.
- Pazin gained about £497 million and Saxon United about £351 million in value from those deals: the players they received and the fees they were paid, minus what they gave up, with players at today's market value.
- The group's other clubs mostly lost value. They existed to feed the two main clubs.
What we have done
- All 71 accounts are banned, and blocked from coming back with the same details.
- Their 60 clubs have been handed back to the AI, so every league and fixture carries on as normal.
- Every credit those accounts held has been removed.
- We are reviewing every deal real managers made with these clubs.
Sanctions on Pazin and Saxon United
- A 66 point deduction every season for five seasons, seasons 197 to 201. Both clubs stay in their league under AI control, so their matches still count for every club they play.
- A transfer embargo until the end of season 201: no players in or out by transfer, loan or free agent signing.
- Removed from every cup competition for as long as the sanction runs.
- Their entire cash balance, £190,933,860, has been shared equally between the 1,167 clubs run by real managers. Each of those clubs has received £163,610.
Changes to the cups
- The Founders Cup: Pazin have been removed. Lossiemouth, who were due to meet Pazin in the semi-final, go straight through to the final.
- A semi-final first leg between Gabrovo FC and Lossiemouth was briefly put in Pazin's place and played. That match has been cancelled: its result and stats are being removed, and the second leg will not be played.
- Eli Bendersky Association Trophy, Round of 128: Pazin and Saxon United entered at this round, so no club had been knocked out by them. Their places go to the two clubs that lost in Final Qualifying only on penalties. Virovitica now play Gabrovo FC, and Bathurst now play Itajaí.
What changes now
- Our trade checks treated any internet connection shared by four or more accounts as public wifi, such as a school or an office. A group this large slipped through that gap, and we are closing it.
- Automatic detection of linked account groups, which freezes their trading until a person has reviewed it and alerts the league straight away.
- Sanctioned clubs are blocked from transfers, loans, cup entry and takeovers for as long as a sanction runs.
These protections are rolling out this week.
Seen something suspicious?
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