David Alaba "involved" in a multi-million euro fraud in Tirana, the scheme of how the Real ...

Summary

A high-profile footballer had his image manipulated in deepfake videos used to defraud European citizens of millions of euros. The criminals created artificial videos featuring the athlete promoting a fraudulent investment platform called “Lion-Trade,” leveraging his public trust and global recognition to lure victims into depositing money. The scam, part of a larger call center operation in Tirana, used AI-generated content to mimic the athlete urging followers to invest small amounts in exchange for exaggerated returns. The deepfake videos were circulated alongside manipulated appearances of other public figures, including political and media personalities. The operation led to the arrest of dozens in Albania, with ongoing investigations into potential involvement of additional public figures.