Adrian Heath says he was kidnapped and held to ransom after fake Saudi job offer | OneFootball

Adrian Heath, 65, says he was kidnapped in Morocco after travelling for talks over a lucrative managerial role in Saudi Arabia, then held to ransom for a six-figure sum. He had checked the approach with trusted contacts, including Steven Gerrard.

“You obviously realise this isn’t what you thought it was going to be,” he recalled being told, speaking to The Athletic.

In November he flew to Morocco to meet a supposed sheikh. Two men met him with flowers, drove him to a small harbour town and took him into a room where three men were waiting.

“If you don’t, you won’t see your wife again. You won’t see your two kids or your grandkids,” he said they warned. “I started thinking about all the good stuff in my life. My wife. My children. My grandkids.”

Told to instruct his wife to transfer money, the plan hit a snag. “Adrian, we changed bank accounts less than 12 months ago,” Jane said. “You’re the main name on it. I can’t transfer anything without you.”

The call ended, then came a demand for a smaller amount, still six figures. Their son Harrison and his wife, Kaylyn Kyle, used location services to pinpoint him and Harrison confronted the agent who had arranged the meeting. He was released when another man entered, then later reunited with Jane in the United States.

The FBI later provided round-the-clock protection at their home for 48 hours.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk