Elite Footballers Named in $3.4 Million Crypto Fraud Case

Six professional footballers, including World Cup winners, are under investigation for allegedly promoting a crypto project that defrauded investors of at least $3.4 million. Spanish prosecutors claim the Shirtum platform used player endorsements to sell NFTs tied to image rights but failed to deliver a functional product.

Victims allege funds were diverted for personal use while the platform was abandoned, prompting a criminal probe in Barcelona. Among those named in the complaint are World Cup winners "Papu" Gómez and Lucas Ocampos, alongside former Barcelona players.

The case highlights the risks of celebrity-backed crypto ventures, particularly when projects lack transparency or fail to meet promised deliverables. Investors were left holding worthless digital tokens after the company vanished with millions.