FC Barcelona foiled a €1 million scam during Robert Lewandowski’s transfer, recovering funds after a suspicious transaction request.
Million-Euro Scam Attempt
FC Barcelona confirmed that it was the target of a fraud attempt involving a 1 million euro payment during Robert Lewandowski’s transfer in 2022. The club had signed Lewandowski from Bayern Munich for €45 million, with an additional €5 million in bonuses. However, shortly after the deal, Barcelona received an email from someone impersonating Lewandowski’s agent, Pini Zahavi, requesting a transfer to a Cypriot bank account.
Bank Stops Suspicious Transfer
Despite initiating the payment, Barcelona’s bank flagged and blocked the transaction, labeling it as “high risk.” The account had been recently opened and showed no prior activity, raising red flags. Though the club admitted falling victim to the scam attempt, the funds were ultimately recovered, avoiding any financial loss.