Former Hammers Academy member Cristian Montano is one of six men arrested over the weekend in connection with spot fixing.
Montano left Upton Park Ham in the July of 2012 after rejecting a new contract. He was taken into custody this weekend after a newspaper contacted police with details of its investigation into corruption in the game.
It has been alleged that a number of Football League and non-league clubs – have been involved in spot-fixing.
One of the players cited in the report – former Portsmouth defender Sam Sodje – was caught on camera revealing how he could earn “tens of thousands of pounds” for deliberately receiving a booking.
Montano too appears in one of the newspaper’s video to explain how he could earn a booking. “From minute one I was hacking people down,” he said. “”People running past me and I would go clip. I run against one player and barged him.”
The forward, 22 on Wednesday, signed a two-year contract with League One Oldham Athletic last August but the club has now confirmed he has been suspended.”
In a statement the club said: “Oldham Athletic Football Club has announced that with immediate effect Cristian Montano will be suspended without pay until the conclusion of investigations into spot-fixing allegations.”
“Club Director Barry Owen said: ‘We are currently assisting the authorities and the future of the player cannot be established until we are notified of what is to occur with these investigations.'”
In addition to Sam Sodje and Montano, Akpo Sodje, Steven Sodje, Ian Goodison and DJ Campbell have also been arrested in connection with the investigation.
Montano, who holds dual UK and Columbian nationality first joined West Ham at the age of just 12.
