The following summer, though, captain Cristiano Doni was listed among the suspects for involvement in a match-fixing scandal (also known as "Calcioscommesse"). Atalanta faced a six-point penalty in the 2011–12 Serie A standings, and Doni was handed a three-and-a-half-year ban from all football-related activities on 19 August, effectively ending his career at age 38. Defender Thomas Manfredini was also accused of involvement in the scandal and was initially handed a three-year ban, though he would later be acquitted. Also that summer, Atalanta signed Argentine forward Germán Denis, who would become one of the club's most prolific scorers with 56 goals in four-and-a-half seasons. At the start of the season, Atalanta obtained 10 points in its first four matches, while the company worked to defend itself and its players from these accusations. Atalanta went on to obtain 52 points before the six-point penalty, setting a new club record for most points in Serie A. This followed from consistent performances throughout the season (26 points in each half) and the fourth-best defense in the league with 43 goals conceded, on par with Bologna and Fiorentina. The club secured Serie A safety on the fourth-to-last matchday with a 2–0 home win against Fiorentina, though lost the final three matches against Milan, Lazio, and Juventus.