Scotland Yard have opened up an investigation into a £30 million sting that targeted Premier League stars, including those of Chelsea and Man United, by ex-pro Michael McIndoe.
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The Mail on Sunday claim there are more than 300 victims of the renowned con artist that range from England internationals to League Two regulars.
Losses for those targeted range from a few thousand pounds to millions in some cases but so far there have been no arrests whilst police say inquiries are ongoing.
Michael McIndoe was the brains behind the operation, the 35-year-old former Wolves, Coventry and MK Dons midfielder had a 13-year career at the top but quit the game four years ago.
He enticed players by promising an incredible 20 per-cent interest on investments per month through a miracle scheme devised through the sale of gold, stocks and property.
“It worked for a while, for some early investors, but it was a disaster for others,” said one player to the Mail on Sunday, who ended up £75,000 out of pocket.
At his worst, McIndoe was paying £45,000 per day on champagne, driving a Bentley around Span and living the life in a number of top hotels and rented houses.
His scheme ended up imploding in 2012 but he was still promising repayment to those he owed last year.
Ex-Hull midfielder Jimmy Bullard, and Robbie Keane have already been named as two victims of the scheme but the Mail on Sunday now claim Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor and teammates from the 2011-12 Villa side were also caught up.
The article claims Chelsea, Man United and Tottenham players were also targeted whilst also saying Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck met with McIndoe whilst at United to hear him out but wasn’t convinced and saw right through it. “Danny’s a smart guy and he didn’t touch it,” a source told the Mail.
The report goes on to detail a host of other stars possibly involved including Everton and Sunderland pros, amongst a number of current professionals.
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