Enamorado said to have transferred R$ 22,000 to scammer posing as Luís Castro | OneFootball

Former Grêmio youth player Lucas de Oliveira Eduardo, 29, has been detained on a preventive arrest warrant in Rio de Janeiro on suspicion of scamming footballers. Grêmio forward José Enamorado is said to have transferred R$ 22,000 to a fraudster posing as head coach Luís Castro.

According to Globo.com, the suspect used fake messaging profiles to impersonate Castro and request PIX donations for food baskets from players at Grêmio and other clubs.

The case is led by the 4ª Delegacia de Polícia de Porto Alegre. On Wednesday, Operation Falso 9 carried out a preventive arrest warrant and two search and seizure orders in Itaperuna, RJ, backed by Rio’s Civil Police.

Four athletes were contacted on WhatsApp, told to arrive early at the training ground for a chat. With one player, the impostor kept days of conversation about family and training, praised his dedication and urged secrecy.

He then requested 300 food baskets at R$ 75 each, totalling R$ 22,500, for a group in Rio de Janeiro. On 6 May, a random PIX key, said to belong to an intermediary, was sent and payment instructed.

A first transfer hit the player’s daily limit, so the fraudster rescheduled for the next morning, again demanding discretion, and the PIX went through. A purported receipt from the institution followed.

Later that day he tried to add 600 baskets, worth R$ 50,000, claiming an overseas team-mate would repay, but a second payment was blocked by limits. Walter Kannemann alerted police, and Andrés D’Alessandro did not pay.

Source: Globo.com

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