Former Portsmouth defender Lucien Aubey has been sentenced to jail for defrauding a close friend of over £120,000.
Aubey, 40, was handed a two-year prison sentence—12 months of which are suspended—by a court in Toulouse, France. The ex-footballer, who played for Portsmouth during their historic FA Cup-winning season in 2007-08, was found guilty of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme alongside his associate, Mohamed Dia, a fashion designer.
The Fraudulent Deal
The duo convinced their victim, a 42-year-old man named Sebastien, to invest in a record label, promising him a staggering £1 million return within three years.
However, the investment turned out to be a scam. Sebastien, who had earlier received a £170,000 insurance payout from a road accident, was left devastated when he realized he had been deceived.
Despite his financial troubles—having been previously declared bankrupt and barred from starting a company—Aubey continued to make false claims. When Sebastien sought repayment, he alleged that Aubey even threatened his children.
Legal Consequences
During the trial, Aubey denied the accusations, claiming his funds were frozen by his former club, Olympiakos Nicosia, in Cyprus. However, prosecutors presented damning phone records that proved his intent to defraud Sebastien.
On Monday, the court ordered Aubey to repay €145,000 and barred him from contacting the victim. Meanwhile, his co-accused, Mohamed Dia, received a one-year suspended sentence.
Sebastien, left in financial ruin, lamented:
“I lost everything. My wife almost took her own life, and I had to quit my job. We separated, and those two just laughed at our misery.”
This case serves as a stark warning about the dangers of financial scams, even among trusted friends.
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