Spanish police announced Friday the arrest of a man suspected of defrauding young South Americans by promising them access to major football clubs in Spain in exchange for up to €3,000 ($3,500), only for many to end up abandoned and on the street.
At least six alleged victims reported the suspect, arrested in Madrid, “as the presumed perpetrator of the crimes of facilitating illegal immigration, document forgery and fraud,” Spain’s national police said in a statement.
The man allegedly offered the young players the chance to travel to Spain, obtain the necessary legal documents and sign for some of the country’s most prestigious football clubs’ youth academies.
He asked the victims, most of whom had very limited financial means, for sums that could reach up to €3,000 to supposedly help pay for the paperwork.
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Once in Spain, however, the young men were given access to trials with lower-division teams and, as they were unable to obtain the required federation licenses, many were left without funds and neglected.
Some of them, according to the police, ended up spending nights on the street or taking out loans.
The suspect contacted the young men in their home countries after learning, through their sporting circles, of their aspirations to become professional footballers.
He then assured them that he had contacts in prominent Spanish clubs through whom he could facilitate their entry to the country and the processing of their documents.
To prove it, he presented the players with a series of “invitation commitments” supposedly issued by the clubs, guaranteeing their incorporation into the first team for three months.
However these documents turned out to be falsified, as police confirmed after checking with the clubs.
The detainee also coached the young men on what they had to say at border controls.
During the investigation, officers also became aware of players being recruited through the same scheme to be taken to other European countries such as Italy.
