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BERLIN (AP) - The former German football referee convicted in the country's biggest match-fixing scandal in more than 30 years has been released from prison.
Hoyzer had served 14 months of his 29-month prison sentence and was released from a Berlin prison Friday, his lawyer Thomas Hermes said.
The former referee admitted fixing matches in 2004 and was convicted of fraud in 2005.
Hoyzer acted on behalf of three Croatian brothers, who paid him to rig matches. The mastermind of the scheme, Ante Sapina, also was convicted of fraud and given 35 months in prison. His brothers Milan and Filip were given suspended sentences.
The scam earned them at least euro2 million (US$3.17 million). The three bothers later agreed to compensate the state-run Berlin lottery agency.
Hoyzer was sued by the German soccer federation and in an out-of-court settlement agreed to pay the federation a monthly sum of euro700 (US$1,110) for 15 years as compensation for damages the federation incurred because of match-fixing. The federation had to compensate a club knocked out of the domestic cup competition in one of the 23 games Hoyzer rigged.
