Johannesburg – The world of professional football, often a realm of glamour and high-stakes, has been thrown into a disconcerting tale of deceit and heartbreak. Mamelodi Sundowns right back, Khuliso “Sailor” Mudau, finds himself at the centre of a shocking scam, where his name and image have been used to lure unsuspecting women into a web of online romance and financial ruin.
Three women, hailing from the Limpopo province, have come forward with harrowing accounts of how a cunning catfish, posing as the celebrated footballer, has left them financially crippled and emotionally devastated.
The women, who have never met Mudau in person, believed they were in virtual relationships with the soccer star, their interactions confined to the digital realm of Facebook and WhatsApp. Their trust, however, was tragically misplaced. The catfish, a master of deception, spun tales of hardship and financial distress, ultimately exploiting their affection and generosity.
A 28-year-old woman from Nzhelele, Limpopo, recounts how her journey began with a seemingly legitimate Facebook account bearing Mudau's name. The account, inactive until March of this year, displayed a collection of images and content that appeared authentic, including family photos and details of the footballer's life.
"He told me about himself, where he grew up and everything," the woman shared, her voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and pain. "He said he wanted to get to know me, but he was in Turkey at the time. He said we could get to know each other here [on the phone] and we would meet when he came back."
The catfish, playing the part of a grieving grandson, fabricated a story of his grandmother's passing, exploiting her empathy and generosity.
“He started telling me stories. He said his accounts were not working and he could not make transfers for his grandmother’s burial. I said I didn’t have money. He persuaded me and started crying. I asked for an account number to send the money, and he gave it to me, and I sent R4 000. He said we should figure out a way to send more money to keep them afloat [during the funeral process]," she explained.
The woman, caught in the web of the catfish's manipulation, found herself emptying her savings, taking out loans, and even resorting to a loan shark. All in the space of two weeks, she had parted with a staggering R52 000, only to be blocked on Facebook and TikTok, leaving her in a state of financial ruin.
"What’s stressing me is the fact that I don’t give out money that easily," she said, her voice trembling with anguish. "But, whenever I said I didn’t have money, he’d call me and, immediately after talking to me, I’d send the money because I felt bad. I gave him money until I told him that I had nothing left. He then asked me to go to a loan shark.”
The woman's story is chillingly echoed by two other victims. A 30-year-old woman, who also fell prey to the catfish's elaborate ruse, received money from the woman in Nzhelele, believing it was from an agent. She, too, was drawn into a web of lies, with the catfish fabricating a story about his mother's diabetes, prompting her to send R700 via a cardless cash transfer.
The third victim, a 32-year-old woman, recounts how the catfish, pretending to be an old friend, manipulated her into sending R3 000 in two instalments, even selling her new cellphone to secure the funds.
The women, all victims of a carefully orchestrated scam, are grappling with the emotional and financial fallout of their encounters. They are left wondering how they could have been so easily fooled, their trust shattered by a digital predator.
Mudau, while expressing sympathy for the victims, denies any involvement in the scam, claiming he has no social media accounts besides Instagram. However, a TikTok account under his name, active since November last year, contradicts his statement.
The soccer star's response to the allegations has been met with a mixture of disbelief and anger. Many are questioning his lack of urgency in addressing the issue, particularly his failure to post a warning to his followers about the scam.
