The case of Mohamed Coulibaly is sending shock waves throughout the NFL, as it relates to many people in the league (including coaches, executives, and players) who actually invested with him, who supposedly did (but actually didn’t), and/or who had been solicited to invest.
In a Tuesday item published by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Ximena Conde reports that Coulibaly was “desperately” seeking a $75,000 loan on the day he was found dead in a swimming pool at his home.
Per the report, Coulibaly sought money from a New York man to whom Coulibaly already owed $1 million. He promised a Lamborghini, two gold Rolexes, and a signed Lionel Messi cleat as collateral for a weeklong loan. He told the man that the extra money would make it possible to repay the original $1 million.
Later that day, a driver arrived at the man’s house with two fake watches, an unauthenticated signed cleat, and an insurance card and bill of sale for the car.
The man then backed out of the loan.
One of Coulibaly’s alleged victims told the Inquirer that Coulibaly called on the day he died, adding that he “started to cry hysterical on the phone,” saying, “‘I’ve lost it all, please help me here, please help me here.’”
Coulibaly’s death is being investigated by local authorities. Some in league circles who were familiar with Coulibaly’s activities suspect that he may have been killed.
Coulibaly’s alleged scam focused on Shopify stores that apparently were fraudulent. The situation has been characterized by some as a Ponzi scheme.
The situation eventually involved former Cardinals G.M. Steve Keim, who told Conde that he met Coulibaly through mutual acquaintances with the Eagles.
“I introduced him to people to sell stores to and that sort of thing,” Keim told the Inquirer regarding Coulibaly. “He called me the COO but he also made promises to give me health insurance and to have some kind of bonus structure.”
Keim characterized himself as one of Coulibaly’s victims.
“This went downhill fast,” Keim told Conde. “Not only did I get my name drug through the mud, I lost a lot of money since I was an investor.”
It remains to be seen whether law enforcement determines that Coulibaly, who has been described as being 24 years old by Barron’s and 23 years old by the Inquirer, died of suicide, natural causes, an accidental drowning, or foul play.
Regardless, the story seems to have plenty of tentacles. And there seems to be much more of a story to tell.
This content was brought to you by: profootballtalk
