Scammer Posing as NFL Star McKinney Steals $4.4M: Lawsuit Launched
A US sports loan broker is sued after failing to properly vet a deal that turned out to be a scam, with someone impersonating Green Bay Packers' Xavier McKinney costing a lender $4.375M.
Scammer Posing as NFL Star McKinney Steals $4.4M: Lawsuit Launched
A lender to professional athletes has filed a lawsuit after wiring $4.375 million to a borrower it thought was Green Bay Packers star Xavier McKinney, only to later learn it had been scammed by someone impersonating the player. The case highlights the importance of thorough due diligence in the sports finance industry, where high-profile athletes can be targets for fraud.
The lawsuit was filed by Aliya Sports Finance Fund (ASFF) against a longtime US sports industry loan broker, Sure Sports, for allegedly not performing satisfactory checks when it introduced the apparent fake McKinney to the lender. According to court papers, the FBI is now investigating the transaction.
ASFF, whose parent company is an investor in Reading FC, filed the lawsuit a year ago in state court in Florida, where both Sure Sports and Aliya are headquartered. The case is scheduled for a three-week trial beginning on 13 July.
Source: The Guardian
