A 24-year-old man accused of running an NFL e-commerce scam that allegedly cost professional athletes large sums of money has been found dead in a swimming pool in New Jersey.
According to TMZ Sports, Mohamed Coulibaly was discovered at a home in Harrison Township after police carried out a welfare check. Family members had reportedly contacted authorities because they were concerned about his well-being.
Police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding Coulibaly’s death. Authorities have not announced a cause of death.
NFL e-commerce scam allegations
Coulibaly had recently faced allegations that he persuaded professional athletes to invest in online stores that appeared to be generating strong sales. Investigators alleged that some of the sales figures shown to investors had been manually entered. Therefore, the businesses appeared more profitable than they actually were.
Former New York Giants linebacker Tae Crowder was among those who accused Coulibaly of taking money through the alleged scheme. Crowder said he met Coulibaly through a mutual friend before becoming interested in the investment opportunity.
Crowder claimed he eventually invested his entire savings of about $500,000 in one of the online stores. He said the figures he saw on the platform gave him confidence that the business was performing well. However, he never received the returns he expected.
Other former NFL players also reportedly claimed they lost money after investing. The total amount alleged to have been lost by three players exceeds $1 million.
Coulibaly denied wrongdoing before his death. He maintained that investors had not been paid because he was still waiting to receive funds connected to a planned acquisition of his business.
No criminal charges had been filed against him in connection with the allegations before his death.
Death under investigation
Coulibaly’s death has now shifted attention to the investigation in New Jersey. Authorities are working to determine what happened before his body was discovered.
Police have yet to publicly disclose the cause or manner of his death. Meanwhile, the allegations surrounding the investment scheme remain unresolved.
