📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Crime
Kerala Sports Minister Orders Probe into Messi Fraud Scheme Involving Officials
✍️ Asianet Newsable
🗓 21 Sep 2026, 08:16 PM
👁 10
A fraud scheme using Lionel Messi's name targeted people in Kerala, prompting the state's Sports Minister to announce a probe into officials' involvement.
The Kerala Sports Ministry has announced an investigation into a fraud operation that allegedly used football star Lionel Messi's name to deceive individuals in the state. The scheme, reported by Asianet Newsable, reportedly involved the misuse of the Messi brand to lure victims. In response, the Sports Minister pledged a thorough probe to determine whether any government officials were complicit or facilitated the fraud. The minister emphasized that any wrongdoing by officials will be dealt with according to the law. The investigation is expected to involve law enforcement agencies to trace the perpetrators and recover losses for the affected parties.