Both Dutch and foreign football clubs are victims of cunning and large-scale fraud by one or more people from the Netherlands. They posed as club executives, according to research The Telegraph. According to the morning newspaper, the victims have received death threats.

The Telegraph has inspected WhatsApp traffic, forged contracts and letters from football clubs, among other things. Recorded conversations were also listened to. This concerns clubs in the Eredivisie, Kitchen Champion Division, and agents from Belgium, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden and an unnamed Eastern European country.

According to the newspaper, victims, who have also received death threats, have paid amounts ranging from 2,500 to almost 20,000 euros. A similar method would have been used each time. “Someone assumes the identity of a director of a football club and shows interest in a player. An advance is then requested for a medical examination, a fee for an agent or 'tax' for a football association.”

The KNVB takes the matter very seriously and has contacted the national police unit. “Clubs have been informed and asked to be alert. Several victims have reported this to the police,” KNVB board secretary Mark Boetekees said.

The Telegraph describes as 'chilling' the threats made by a 26-year-old professional footballer, who posed as a football club executive to negotiate the purchase of players.

“We have your passport details and will find you. We'll take everything away from you. You will never find me,” a man says in English to one of the agents the morning newspaper spoke to. This man indicates that he has also been threatened with death.

According to all victims, the scammer is a 26-year-old footballer with dual nationality who played for the youth of Sparta, Roda and a Swedish club. The Telegraph contacted him, but the man did not wish to comment.

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