A hundred football stars are reportedly feared to have been caught in an alleged 30 million pounds investment scam and include players like former English midfielder Jimmy Bullard and Irish legend Robbie Keane.
Police is reportedly of the opinion that the alleged fraud might be the biggest scam ever to hit the British game.
Up to hundred players including former Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Ireland legend Keane and ex-Fulham midfielder Bullard are said to have been lured by promises of a huge 20 percent-a-month return, the Mirror reported.
However, the scheme collapsed amid huge debts and detectives are reportedly probing alleged links to massive gambling on soccer matches.
Bookmakers William Hill have handed investigators details of the betting account of Michael McIndoe, a retired player who led a lavish lifestyle and is said to have recruited other footballers into the investment venture.
Former Coventry, Wolves and Scotland midfielder McIndoe went bankrupt in October with disclosed debts of 3 million pounds, but recovery experts believe that is the tip of the iceberg.
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A source close to the case said that the money lost has been astronomical, claiming that the 3 million pounds mentioned in McIndoe's insolvency papers is a very conservative figure, insisting that it could be up to 15 million pounds once all the money is traced.
Bullard lost 6,50,000 pounds, while losses of Dublin-born striker Keane, now with LA Galaxy, have been described as a fortune. Moreover, one international star is understood to have invested one million pounds, while yet another recently retired player lost nearly 5,00,000 pounds, the report added.