Super Eagles and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has found himself at the center of a betting scandal in Italy, with reports suggesting he is under investigation for allegedly betting on his own yellow card during a match against Lazio on March 11, 2024.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the 25-year-old is being investigated by the Udine Prosecutor’s Office over suspicious betting activity flagged during the Lazio-Udinese game.

The controversy stems from Okoye’s 64th-minute booking for time-wasting during a goal kick, an incident now suspected to have been part of a premeditated scheme.

Prosecutors allege that Okoye intentionally sought to receive the yellow card to profit from a bet placed on that specific outcome. The suspicious betting activity was initially detected by Sisal, one of Italy’s top betting companies, through an algorithm designed to monitor unusual patterns.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a verbal agreement may have been made at a restaurant before being formalized at a Sisal betting point in Udine just days before the match.

Okoye, who underwent wrist surgery in November and is yet to return to action, has been a key figure for Udinese this season. Before his injury, he had recorded 25 saves, with 16 coming from shots inside the penalty area the highest in Serie A at the time.

To cover for his absence, Udinese recently signed goalkeeper Egil Selvik.

Okoye also made his return to the Super Eagles in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, his first call-up since 2022. However, it was a bitter comeback as Nigeria fell 2-1 to Rwanda in Uyo after taking an early lead.

The investigation continues, and if found guilty, Okoye could face severe consequences both legally and professionally.