Yeah, been mentioned on here before. Saw it several months go. Truly shocking at the ease with which he duped so many high profile businesses and individuals.
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Medi Abalimba
- Thread starter johnlattimerssponge
- Start date
Southminster Shrimper
Coach
He was fantastic fot me on Football Manager once. I sold him for a few mil to Norwich. Scored some important goals for me so I havr nothing but respect for him
South Bank Hank
⭐⭐🦐
Closing statement, Judge Robert Atherton, Manchester Crown Court.
Supershrimper
First XI⭐
BBC News - Football fraudster Medi Abalimba back in prison after US arrest - BBC News
Football fraudster Medi Abalimba back in prison after US arrest
The former footballer fled the UK after he was released from prison on licence, Derbyshire Police said.
www.bbc.co.uk
THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK
Life President⭐⭐🦐
Medi Abalimba (left) pretended to be the France youth international Gael Kakuta (right)
22 October 2014
A failed footballer who posed as a Chelsea star to live a Premier League lifestyle has been jailed.
Manchester Crown Court heard Medi Abalimba went on a £20,000 shopping spree at Selfridges, stayed at top hotels and even hired a helicopter.
The player, who once commanded a fee of more than £1m but whose career failed to progress, masqueraded as France youth international Gael Kakuta.
Medi Abalimba, 25, admitted multiple frauds and was sentenced to four years.
Abalimba, of Burton Street, London, phoned venues claiming to be the agent of Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta before turning up posing as the player.
The court was told he would ring a venue advising of the imminent arrival of an elite sport star, requesting discretion and paying for goods with stolen credit card details.
Abalimba obtained the details by photographing American Express cards he found in lockers he broke into using a master key at a gym in Camden, north London.
In June 2014, he visited a Manchester nightclub and ordered £2,600 worth of champagne while claiming he left his wallet in a limousine.
Football skills
He pre-paid more than £2,000 using stolen credit card details telling staff he would return next day, which he did, ordering more champagne and leaving in a chauffeur-driven Bentley GT.In July, he ordered more than £20,000 worth of clothes in Selfridges in the Trafford Centre, even displaying his football skills while shopping - but store detectives were suspicious.
His crime spree saw him stay at expensive hotels, dine at fine restaurants and, on one occasion, he even took four women from Manchester to London in a helicopter.
Greater Manchester Police tracked him down to an £800-a-night rented mansion in Berkshire.
Sgt Adam Cronshaw of GMP, said Abalimba was "charming and charismatic" and could call on his previous football experience and "some resemblance to the real Gael Kakuta to deceive his victims".
He added: "Abalimba told us that many of his victims treated him so differently because they thought he was a celebrity footballer."
'Difficulties snowballed'
The player had stints with Derby County, Oldham Athletic, Southend United, Fulham and Crystal Palace and, as a youngster, had trials with Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool.He admitted 12 offences of fraud and dishonesty, in London, West Yorkshire, Manchester and Derby and asked for 19 offences to be considered.
Speaking in mitigation, his barrister Vic Wozny said Abalimba had had a "rough upbringing" and that he "ran with the wrong crowd" after coming to London at the age of five.
He said his footballing success had come with a lot of "hangers on", who Abalimba would spend his wages on.
When Abalimba "started to slide and money dried up, my client could not accept that he did not continue to lead the high life", he said.
"The offences started to happen. Thereafter my client's difficulties snowballed."
Gael Kakuta, 23, joined Spanish team Rayo Vallecano on loan for the 2014-15 season.
THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK
Life President⭐⭐🦐
BBC News - Football fraudster Medi Abalimba back in prison after US arrest - BBC News
Football fraudster Medi Abalimba back in prison after US arrest
The former footballer fled the UK after he was released from prison on licence, Derbyshire Police said.www.bbc.co.uk
Medi Abalimba posed as a Premier League footballer to defraud his victims
Adam Moss
BBC News, Derby
A scammer dubbed the Football Fraudster, who featured in a Netflix documentary, is back behind bars after he left the UK illegally.
Medi Abalimba posed as a Premier League footballer and persuaded his victims, including Thierry Henry's ex-wife and Love Island contestant Georgia Steel to pay for stays in luxury hotels, helicopter trips and travel to different parts of the world, Derbyshire Police said.
He was jailed for four years and two months in 2021 before he was released, but then fled the UK early in 2023, breaching the conditions of his licence.
An investigation found he was in the US and he was extradited back to the UK where he was recalled to prison and would remain until October 2026, police said.
Abalimba was a former professional footballer and had stints with Derby County, Oldham Athletic, Southend United, Fulham and Crystal Palace and had trials with Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool as a youngster.
He once commanded a fee of £1m but failed to progress and masqueraded as France youth international Gael Kakuta to commit 12 counts of fraud in 2014, which led to him being jailed for four years.
The 35-year-old then committed further offences on his release and was given a four year and two month prison sentence in 2021 for 15 counts of fraud, one count of possession of articles which could be used in fraud and one count of possession of an identity document with improper information.
He was then featured in a Netflix documentary in 2023 called The Football Fraudster, which heard from Claire Merry, who used be married to Thierry Henry, as well as Love Island star Georgia Steel on how he had duped them.
'Life of deception'
He disappeared while on release under licence and PC Sarah Baker, who works for Derbyshire Police's international liaison office, was tasked with tracking him down.She worked with authorities in a number of countries around the world and it emerged he had changed his name to Michi Jordan and was travelling on a new passport.
Alalimba, who has previously lived in Derby, was then arrested in an operation which involved Homeland Security in the US and police forces across the globe.
PC Baker said: "Given his extensive offending there was a real concern that, armed with a new name, he could begin targeting new victims.
"However, the USA takes seriously foreign nationals who have not declared their criminal convictions, and he was quickly located and arrested by US authorities."
She added: "Abalimba lives a life filled with deception and even after serving prison sentences, his fraudulent activities have continued.
"It has been a lengthy process to track him down and ensure he is brought back to the UK but I am pleased that we have now managed to achieve this thanks to work with a number of international law enforcement agencies.
"I'm grateful to all those who have helped with tracking him down and ensuring that he is once again behind bars and cannot cause further misery to unsuspecting victims."
If he's not already signed, at least he'll be one of those rare breed of ex-players SUEPA won't have trouble tracking down. Just need to check visiting days!
Bromley Blue
The artist formerly known as the_saafender
Given the return of some of our signings over the years, he wouldn’t be the first fraudster to play for us.
Southminster Shrimper
Coach
Sold him on Football Manager once for £2.2 million. Nothing but respect for the guy.
On a serious note, what a ****.
On a serious note, what a ****.
cerbera45
Coach⭐
He's now 35 and still hasn't mended his ways
londonblue
Topgun Pilot
He's on his way!
Streaky
Manager⭐
Phil Brown will probably offer him a deal..
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