ROME – Hristyian Ilievski, a fugitive who has been on the run from authorities for nearly four years and is suspected of orchestrating an international football match-fixing ring, has handed himself in to police, according to judicial sources. Ilievski is now reportedly willing to co-operate with investigators.

 Italian authorities released an arrest warrant for Ilievski in June 2011, with the Macedonian under suspicion of fraudulent practice in relation to sports betting. He is also suspected of being the ringleader of a criminal gang nicknamed ‘Zingari’ (gypsies), which has been under investigation in Cremona since 2011 for bribing footballers and rigging matches. Ilievski landed at Bergamo airport yesterday and was immediately taken into custody.

 Ilievski has reportedly been living in Macedonia since 2011 but has only now been return to face questioning because his homeland has changed their punishments for match-fixing cases. Those found guilty could now face up to 10 years in prison, and Italian police liaison officers sent to speak to the fugitive, have succeeded in persuading him to fly back to Italy.

 The original ‘Zingari’ investigation sent shockwaves through Italian football just six years after a number of top Serie A clubs were implicated in a the notorious 2006 match-fixing case. The then Lazio vice-captain, Stefano Mauri was removed from Italy’s Euro 2012 squad and banned for six months and the current Italy manager Antonio Conte was banned from management for four months, following charges of failing to report attempted match-fixing.

 According to judicial sources, Guido Salvini the leading prosecutor in Cremona interviewed Ilievski on Tuesday, and if he is indeed willing to co-operate, many ex-players and coaches could once again be linked to corruption along with those sitting nervously, who haven’t yet been under suspicion.