The Public Prosecutor’s Office, in Hal-Vilvorde, requested a two-year prison sentence for the false Iranian agent. He was suspected of fraud, to the detriment of several football trainers. Amongst them are Hugo Broos, Aad De Mos, Jan Ceulemans and Johan Walem. The accused, R.G., acknowledged that the facts had occurred but added that he had had no intention to swindle his victims. Justifying how the chain of events arose, he said, “Through my debts, I got into a vicious circle.”
R.G. claimed that he had worked for more than ten years as an estate agent, before getting into financial difficulties in 2014. He then attempted to resolve them by speaking to football players and trainers, by offering them the chance to sign generous foreign contracts. R.G. thus offered Hugo Broos the post of Saudi club trainer at Al-Ahli, by presenting him with a contract with the team’s logo and the signature of its Chairman. At the very last moment, the Belgian trainer refused to sign, expressing doubts as to the document’s authenticity.
R.G. also approached Aad de Mos, Walter Meeuws, Guido Brepoels, Johan Walem et Danny Boffin, but to no avail. Only the player Lierse Koen Weuts took the bait.
The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Hal-Vilvorde had, in the meantime, opened an investigation. It had received complaints from parents of young players. R.G. had tried to convince parents to sign a contract with a club in Dubai, which was going to loan them to a team in California. He put it to the parents that the children could study there. The youngsters were being offered an annual salary of €200,000. The parents each paid €5,000 for this project, which proved to be a false construct.
R.G. was arrested in May 2016, acknowledging his crimes. The Public Prosecutor’s Office requested two years in prison. R.G’s lawyer argued, on his behalf, for a suspended sentence.
Judgement will be given at a later date.
The Brussels Times
