Three players from A-League club Macarthur FC were arrested on Friday and charged with betting-related corruption by manipulating yellow cards in a scandal that rocked the top flight of Australian football.

Police allege a senior player for the southwest Sydney club was taking direction from an organised crime figure in South America to ensure yellow cards were issued in at least four A-League matches in exchange for profit.

The alleged manipulation occurred in games on Nov. 24, 2023 and Dec. 9, 2023, with failed attempts occurring in recent matches in April and May.

The players, who police did not identify, were charged with engaging in “conduct that corrupts betting outcome of an event” and participating in a criminal group.

The senior player, aged 33, was also charged with facilitating conduct that corrupts betting outcome of an event.

A fourth player from the club is also expected to be charged with betting-related corruption when tracked down by police.

Macarthur FC, which played A-League matches on all of the dates of the alleged manipulation, said it was “shocked and aware” of the arrests.

“Integrity of our game is a foundation pillar and we will work closely with all relevant agencies on this matter,” the club said in a statement.

Match-fixing has previously hit Australian soccer but Friday’s charges, coming a day before the second leg of the A-League semi-finals, mark the first time the nation’s top flight has been impacted.

Multiple British players for a lower league Melbourne club were given life bans from soccer in 2014 for their involvement in an illegal betting ring.

Police said they would allege the senior player had paid junior team mates up to A$10,000 ($6,700) to intentionally commit offences that would attract yellow cards.

“Whilst A$10,000 may seem like a lot of money to a young sports person, we will advise that is incredibly insignificant when you consider the damage …. to this young person’s reputation, damage to their club and their code’s reputation,” NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Fitzgerald told reporters on Friday.

Police were assisted by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and last December set up a team to investigate suspicious betting activity in overseas markets, predominantly in South America.

“In relation to one of the matches, there’s multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars been paid out,” NSW Police Detective Superintendent Peter Faux said.

The arrests were made on Friday out of concerns the players might be set to leave the country given Macarthur’s season was over after they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.

Faux said police had no evidence players from other A-League teams had engaged in betting corruption, but they were continuing investigations.

Australian Professional Leagues, the A-League’s governing body, and the sport’s national federation, Football Australia, said they were cooperating with authorities.

The corruption charges are the latest blow to the A-League’s brand, which has been damaged by financial problems and fan unrest in recent years.