Birkirkara FC has released an official statement confirming that the Club was recently targeted by a sophisticated transfer scam involving an individual falsely impersonating a sporting director of a German club. The incident unfolded after Birkirkara received what appeared to be a lucrative offer for one of its players, with the player himself also approached directly and presented with terms that initially seemed highly attractive.
According to the statement, Birkirkara FC and the player worked closely together over the past days, motivated by the prospect of fulfilling the player’s ambition to secure a move to a stronger league with significantly improved financial terms. However, concerns arose yesterday evening when Club officials received a document that immediately appeared suspicious. Those doubts were amplified soon after, when further communication included a request for the Club to pay a so-called temporary “transfer tax,” with assurances that the amount would later be refunded.
Thanks to the vigilance of Birkirkara’s legal team and the immediate support of ECA lawyers, it was quickly determined that the proposal was fraudulent. The Club immediately halted all engagement and proceeded to verify the matter directly with the German club allegedly involved.
The German club responded promptly and professionally, confirming that the offer was not genuine and that a police investigation was already underway. They informed Birkirkara FC that they had received similar reports from other clubs and agencies that had also been approached by the same individual.
In its statement, Birkirkara FC expressed its appreciation to all parties who helped prevent potential financial or reputational harm. The Club thanked its legal team, the ECA, and representatives of the German club for their swift cooperation and assistance.
Speaking to Malta Sport, Birkirkara FC president Michael Valenzia underlined the wider implications of the case and urged other clubs to remain vigilant.
“This should serve as an eye opener for all the clubs as this is a racket that is hitting much bigger clubs who have suffered from such a racket. Because we have the proper structures and people in place within our club who know all the necessary transfer regulations, we managed to flag this before this became a huge issue. Obviously in our case our club has lost nothing, however we wish that this serves as awareness to all the clubs out there to be careful when there are such requests and transfers.”
Birkirkara FC emphasised its continued commitment to safeguarding the Club’s interests and urged other clubs to exercise caution in light of similar fraudulent approaches circulating within European football.
