By Felicia Udeji
In a shocking revelation, Barcelona has fallen victim to a sophisticated scam, losing €1 million to a fraudster posing as an associate of Robert Lewandowski’s agent, Pini Zahavi.
Lewandowski, signed by Barcelona from Bayern Munich in 2022 for €45 million, has been instrumental for the club, scoring 71 goals in 106 matches. However, behind the scenes, a cunning scammer exploited the high-profile transfer.
The fraudster, using the alias “Michael Hermanus Gerardus Demon,” claimed to be Lewandowski’s lawyer and demanded €1 million be transferred to a Cypriot bank account. Barcelona initially agreed to the payment, sending the funds to Banc de Xipre.
Fortunately, the bank’s compliance department flagged the transaction as suspicious, freezing the funds and preventing the scammer from accessing them.
Investigations revealed “Mr. Demon” had no prior banking history with the Cypriot bank. When contacted, Zahavi confirmed no knowledge of the individual.
In a brazen attempt, the scammer threatened to report Barcelona to UEFA and demanded an additional €250,000 for silence.
Barcelona recovered the €1 million and has strengthened anti-fraud protocols.
No criminal investigation has been launched, as the club hasn’t filed a formal complaint.