Fraud Investigation in Football
A substantial fraud investigation has surfaced involving six prominent football players, including World Cup champions and former stars from clubs like Barcelona and Sevilla, who are embroiled in a cryptocurrency scandal. This probe follows allegations that a crypto company they endorsed swindled millions from investors, leaving many with worthless digital assets.
Details of the Inquiry
The inquiry, initiated by Barcelona’s Fifth District Court, centers around accusations against a firm called Shirtum Europa SLU, allegedly orchestrated by a collective of businessmen from Spain and Argentina. According to a report by El Periodico, the case was propelled forward by complaints from 12 affected investors earlier this year, alleging that these promoters defrauded them of approximately $3.4 million (€3 million) through the marketing of non-functional NFTs linked to football player image rights, which were purchased using the proprietary token $SHI.
Key Figures Involved
Prominent figures named in the allegations include internationally celebrated players like “Papu” Gómez and Lucas Ocampos, as well as past Barcelona icons Ivan Rakitić and Javier Saviola, along with Nico Pareja and Alberto Moreno. The alleged perpetrators, led by David Rozencwaig—a businessman from Argentina—and Catalan entrepreneurs Manel Ángel Torras, his son Marc Alberto Torras, and Manuel Morillas, purportedly constructed a convoluted corporate framework across Spain and Andorra aimed at evading tax obligations and shielding themselves from liability.
Victim Experiences
The comprehensive complaint presented to the authorities features 13 expert evaluations and a financial assessment from economist Prosper Lamothe, who indicates that the company’s operations were deliberately designed to be obscure and evasive regarding taxation.
Investors were lured with promises of exclusive digital collectibles, some costing as much as $513 (€450), yet these NFTs were never made available for trading nor supported by a viable platform. The company’s marketing strategy heavily relied on the athletes’ star power, presenting them as key figures and brand representatives for the venture.
Allegations suggest that in March 2022, Shirtum claimed to fall victim to two significant thefts in the cryptocurrency space, suggesting the company had been compromised by hackers, but investigators found no official police reports were lodged regarding this incident.
Moreover, financial records indicate that substantial funds were misappropriated for personal expenses while the platform was quietly abandoned.
Accusations Against Athletes
Notably, “Papu” Gómez, who reportedly has a close relationship with Rozencwaig, was accused of actively recruiting fellow players to the platform, presenting himself as a founder before subsequently deleting any trace of Shirtum from social media alongside his counterparts.
Impact on the Football World
The situation raises alarm about the precarious nature of cryptocurrency involvement within the football world, particularly following the 2021 ban on gambling advertisements that pushed La Liga clubs to seek alternative sponsorships from crypto companies. However, this shift has resulted in numerous complications, with several clubs facing defaults and engaging in legal disputes over unpaid sponsorship deals.
Mohith Agadi, the founder of the decentralized fact-checking platform Fact Protocol, commented on the situation, emphasizing the inherent risks associated with high-profile endorsements in the crypto arena, warning that while blockchain technology fosters transparency in transactions, it also allows fraudsters to simulate legitimacy through the use of celebrity endorsements.
