Victims of the $4 billion Omegapro cryptocurrency pyramid scheme are suing well-known footballers for his or her promotional involvement, together with Vinicius Jr., Ronaldhino, and Luis Figo.
Omegapro was a crypto funding agency based mostly in Dubai that promised buyers gorgeous returns of up to 300% inside 14 months. By aggressive advertising techniques and movie star endorsements, the agency attracted virtually 3 million clients and their collective $4 billion.
Nevertheless, regulators throughout the globe quickly caught on. France, Belgium, Spain, and Peru had been among the many international locations that issued fraud warnings for Omegapro. The Spanish Securities Market Fee added the corporate to its checklist of non-transparent monetary companies.
One way or the other, this didn’t cease famend soccer gamers from collaborating in its promo. Round 20 present and former footballers are named within the lawsuit, which additionally contains Kaká, Carles Puyol, Roberto Carlos, and Fernando Hierro. They’re accused of selling and perpetuating a fraudulent funding scheme regardless of the specific warning indicators.
“All football players who have been seen at Omegapro events will be sued by us in London,” stated lawyer and investigator Lars Olofsson (by way of el Diario). Spain can even be suing the gamers, although it stays unclear whether or not the lawsuit will maintain up in native court docket.
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In November 2022, across the time FTX was going underneath, the corporate halted withdrawals and shut down consumer accounts. In a flash, it had made off with victims’ complete life financial savings.
In line with some victims, their endorsements satisfied them to maintain their cash within the scheme, even once they had their doubts.
“How was it supposed to be a scam?” requested one sufferer named Dolores, who misplaced all of her financial savings, €18,000 ($19,000), to Omegapro. “If even the footballers were involved and the company’s logo was projected on a skyscraper in Dubai!” (translated from Spanish by way of La Vanguardia).
“I just wanted to live like them,” stated one other sufferer, 51-year-old Marta, to el Diario. “I thought: Why not me?” Marta has additionally misplaced hundreds of euros within the crypto pyramid scheme.
In July, Omegapro cofounder Andreas Szakacs was arrested in Turkey. The Swede had reportedly fled to the nation and had modified his identify to Emre Avci. By September, Dutch managing director Robert V. was additionally arrested in Turkey.
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