Lucien Aubey, a former Premier League defender, has been sentenced to prison for defrauding his friend out of over £120,000. The 40-year-old, who played for Portsmouth during the 2007-08 season, was given a two-year jail term with 12 months suspended by a court in Toulouse, France.
Aubey, who also played for Toulouse, Rennes, and other clubs in Turkey and Cyprus, convinced his friend, Sebastien, to invest in a record label venture. He promised Sebastien that he would make £1 million in three years. However, Sebastien never saw his money again.
The fraud came to light after Sebastien, who had previously received a £170,000 payout from a road accident, accused Aubey of threatening his family when asking for repayment. Sebastien claimed that the loss of his money caused him severe stress, even leading to his marriage falling apart.
Aubey denied the fraud, claiming that his funds were tied up in Cyprus and he had not stolen from anyone. However, evidence from phone conversations between Aubey and his co-accused, Mohamed Dia, showed their intent to scam Sebastien.
The court ordered Aubey to repay €145,000 to Sebastien and prohibited him from contacting the victim. Mohamed Dia, who helped in the scam, received a one-year suspended jail sentence.
