Ivan Rakitic Among 6 International Players Under Investigation Over Fraud Claims

• Six popular international footballers are currently under investigation over a significant matter in Spain
• All the players are former stars of La Liga side, FC Sevilla, where they won multiple titles including the Europa League
• Ex-Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic, who won the treble in 2014/15, is among the players being investigated

Six former Sevilla FC players, including former Sevilla and Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic, have found themselves embroiled in a massive cryptocurrency and NFT scam.

The controversy centres around the Spanish company Shirtum Europa, S.L.U., which has been accused of defrauding investors out of millions of euros.

The NFT scam

At the heart of the scandal is a scheme involving NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) marketed as exclusive assets tied to the image of high-profile football players, according to Sofoot.

These digital collectibles were sold at exorbitant prices, with each NFT reaching around €450.

The company behind the scam, Shirtum Europa, marketed the NFTs with promises of a unique app that would enhance the experience for collectors and investors.

Unfortunately, as the situation unfolded, the app never materialised, and the promised features were nowhere to be found.

It was also revealed that some of the NFTs sold didn’t even exist in the first place. Despite this, the company continued selling them, knowing full well that they were selling illusions to unsuspecting buyers.

Former Sevilla players involved

Meanwhile, six former Sevilla FC players were reportedly involved in promoting the dubious project.

Papu Gómez, the Argentine midfielder, is perhaps the most prominent name in this case, having openly declared himself as the “co-founder” of the company on his social media platforms.

Alongside him, the other players, Lucas Ocampos, Nico Pareja, Alberto Moreno, and Javier Saviola, are alleged to have used their significant social media influence to promote the NFTs.

Per the reported complaint, the players used to post about their training routines and share nostalgic memories of their time at Sevilla FC to bolster the project's legitimacy.

This use of their image and notoriety played a crucial role in generating interest in the scam, ultimately leading to millions of euros being invested in a project that turned out to be fraudulent, as reported by Yahoo Sports.

Papu Gómez's embarrassing fallout

For Papu Gómez, this scandal adds to an already difficult period in his career. The 2022 World Cup winner is currently serving a two-year ban after testing positive for a banned substance.

The NFT issue only serves to compound the embarrassment, as the midfielder now finds himself not only banned from football but also facing allegations of participating in a financial fraud that caused substantial harm to investors.

Sevilla fans to abandon first half of Real Madrid La Liga match

YEN.com.gh earlier reported on why a section of Sevilla fans were planning to boycott the first-half of the La Liga fixture between their team and Real Madrid back in May 2025.

The home fans arranged to enter the stadium during the second half as a way to protest against the club's board of directors over the team's management.

Source: YEN.com.gh