The Sun
A FORMER Premier League footballer scammed friends and family out of £15million to maintain his lavish lifestyle, a court heard.
Richard Rufus is accused of pretending to be a successful foreign exchange trader to convince his alleged victims to invest.
But the ex-Charlton star, 47, lost the cash “hand over fist”, Southwark Crown Court heard.
It is alleged he used £7million of the total £15million to pay back investors in a pyramid scheme, while around £2million was used for his own purposes.
Jurors were told this meant Rufus was able to “maintain a lifestyle of a footballer” long after he was forced to retire in 2004.
The centre-back enjoyed the “trappings of wealth” and drove a flash Bentley and wore a Rolex, it was said…
