AP Newsbreak: Europeans unravel big tennis match-fixing ring

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PARIS (AP) — Four tennis players are in French custody on suspicion of helping an organized gambling syndicate believed to have fixed hundreds of low-tier matches.

They are suspected of working for an Armenian who police call the "Maestro. Police believe the Belgium-based kingpin may have paid more than 100 players from at least half a dozen countries.

The detentions are part of months of digging by police working across Europe to unravel a massive match-fixing scheme.

Sources close to the investigation told The Associated Press that four French players were in custody on Wednesday. They said at least one suspect told investigators that he fixed around two dozen matches for the Maestro.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss details publicly.

Investigators have also questioned other players in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, and Bulgaria and are looking around Europe.