Man Arrested in Rio de Janeiro for Impersonating Grêmio Coach to Scam Footballers
2 sources · Brazil
Who reported this
- G1
- CNN Brasil
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- Centre-left
- Centre
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- Right
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Every source for this story reports from Brazil.
A 29 year old man named Lucas de Oliveira Eduardo was arrested in Itaperuna, Rio de Janeiro, on Wednesday morning as part of Operation Falso 9. The suspect is accused of electronic fraud and using a false identity to scam professional football players by impersonating Grêmio coach Luís Castro. The operation was a joint effort between the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul.
Investigators found that the suspect used fake WhatsApp profiles featuring the photo of Luís Castro to build trust with athletes. In one instance, the suspect contacted Grêmio players Walter Kannemann and José Enamorado. After discussing family and training routines with Enamorado, the scammer requested a donation of 300 basic food baskets for a social project in Rio de Janeiro. Enamorado transferred 22,500 reais via Pix. The suspect later attempted to solicit an additional 50,000 reais, but the transfer failed due to daily bank limits.
The investigation revealed that the suspect targeted other high profile figures, including former Internacional player Andrés D'Alessandro and a popular Brazilian artist. Police stated that the suspect had previous experience with football youth teams, which helped him approach victims. The stolen funds were routed through the bank accounts of residents in Itaperuna to hide the money trail.
According to Delegate Eduardo Cruz, the criminal group had previously attempted a similar scam in 2024 by impersonating the coach of the Brazilian national team to solicit funds for flood victims in Rio Grande do Sul.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The center left report emphasized the systemic nature of the crime, highlighting the network of bank accounts and previous criminal patterns.
- Centre
- The center leaning report focused on the specific details of the interactions between the scammer and the players.
Sources
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