Medi Abalimba could not cope with dropping down the leagues and losing his high salary so dreamt up the lookalike scam
A washed-up footballer who pretended to be a Chelsea star to continue a champagne lifestyle has been jailed for four years.
Former Derby County ace Medi Abalimba admitted multiple counts of fraud after he ran up bar tabs worth thousands of pounds while pretending to be Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta.
Abalimba, 25, who once commanded a £1 million transfer fee, also stayed in the best rooms in plush London hotels.
He dreamt up the scam after slipping down the leagues through lack of discipline and commitment, having lost his £20,000-a-week job with Derby County.
Eager to continue living the high life, the conman passed himself off as France under-21 star Kakuta at nightclubs and hotels.
Manchester Crown Court heard how he would ring ahead and, using a fake American accent, pretend to be the agent of the Chelsea footballer.
Abalimba would then swan into the nightclub accompanied by an entourage of drivers, bodyguards and young women and proceed to rack up a bar bill worth thousands of pounds.
The court heard how once the night had finished con artist Abalimba would make excuses not to pay or use a stolen credit card to settle the massive bills.
During one incident he duped starstruck staff into running up a £25,000 bar tab on Cristal champagne in one West End club in London claiming ''he was a Premier League star and good for the money.''
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