FC Barcelona Avoids Major Loss After Falling Victim to Elaborate Scam Involving Fake Lewandowski Representative
FC Barcelona narrowly avoided a major financial loss after falling victim to a scam involving a fake lawyer posing as Robert Lewandowski’s legal representative. The club mistakenly transferred £830,000 (€1 million) to the fraudster’s account in Cyprus, following persistent demands from an individual claiming to work with Lewandowski’s agent, Pini Zahavi.
The scammer, using the name Michael Hermanus Gerardus Demon, convinced the club that he was overseeing a part of the Polish striker’s transfer, which saw Lewandowski join Barcelona from Bayern Munich in 2022 for £37 million (€45 million). The fraudster pressured Barcelona into transferring the money to a Banc de Xipre account, but the bank’s compliance team flagged the transaction as suspicious and froze the funds.
Barcelona reached out to Zahavi, who confirmed he had no knowledge of the alleged lawyer, and the bank withheld the funds. Despite threats from the scammer to take the matter to UEFA and demands for an additional £207,000 (€250,000) for silence, the club eventually recovered the money.
No criminal investigation has been launched yet, as Barcelona has not filed a formal complaint, but the club has since bolstered its anti-fraud protocols. Despite the close call, Lewandowski continues to shine on the pitch, with 71 goals in 106 appearances since joining the Catalan giants.
This incident underscores the need for vigilance, even among top football clubs, as cybercrime and fraud continue to target the high-stakes world of professional football.
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