Fraud, football and mental health
We have covered a few fraud cases in the IYE Global blog posts and also covered the targeting of professional sportsmen and women by fraudsters as they are seen as cash rich.
One area we have not yet covered is the devastating impact this can have on the mental health of the victims. This can range from simple embarrassment through to suicide. We know of cases where people have lost their homes, their families and have been forced into bankruptcy.
One such case involves the footballer Wilson Oruma who captained the Nigerian national team. Wilson was conned out of 1.2 Billion Nigerian Naira (circa £2.6 million) in 2012 by a Clergyman who duped him into investing into a fake oil scheme.
Sadly, following the fraud, Wilson could often be found roaming the parks of Lagos Island in an obvious state of mental distress. Thankfully his family and former team-mates have stepped in to help and Wilson now appears to be on the road to recovering but his case ably demonstrates the incredible pressure fraud can have on any victim.
In the UK, the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) has taken some excellent steps to ensure their members have access to player welfare and mental health wellbeing. It’s a service we would recommend to any player who has been a victim of fraud and is feeling under pressure or is feeling depressed because of it.
At IYE Global, our aim is to ensure people do not fall victim to fraudulent investments in the first instance. We are happy to discuss and fully investigate any potential investment and provide clear, simple to follow advice on the legitimacy of a proposed investment along with the people associated with it. If you’d like to undertake comprehensive due diligence to ensure the investment you’re considering is genuine, please call us on: +44 (0)20 8914 7923 or use our contact form on the IYE Global website.
