The crime they are charged with, a ’negligent receiving offence’, could be seen as a gross negligence offence, according to Timo Luosma of the Western Finland Prosecutor’s office. Penalties range from a fine to two years’ imprisonment, but Luosma did not say what punishment the prosecutor would ask for.
The charges stem from money the club is alleged to have received from a Singaporean man. The man and nine Rovaniemen Palloseura (RoPS) players were convicted of bribery offences last summer at Lapland district court. Some of those convicted are appealing.
Proceedings in the PoPa money-laundering case will begin at the end of this month. YLE could not reach Antti Sumiala for comment. FC PoPa’s holding company was declared bankrupt earlier this month.
