A criminal investigation is underway in Barcelona, focusing on a $3.4 million NFT scam linked to Shirtum Europa SLU and several prominent footballers. The pending civil lawsuit against the cryptocurrency firm alleges that the company defrauded investors as part of a failed non-fungible token (NFT) scheme. The investigation had been ordered by Barcelona’s Fifth District Court after a lawsuit brought by 12 investors in early 2025.

Among other allegations, the lawsuit claims that Shirtum Europa SLU made false statements to investors, leading to €3 million ($3.4 million) in damages. As many as 11 alleged crimes, ranging from fraud to tax evasion, were named in the legal filing.

The main targets of investigation are Manuel Ángel T.P., his son Marc T.G., Manuel M.P., and David R. These are the people thought to be the chief architects of the purported pay-to-play scheme.

Many big-time athletes, from Patrick Mahomes to Tom Brady—and one especially notorious NFT hawker—are listed in the lawsuit for their roles in marketing the Shirtum initiative. These ballers are following in the footsteps of fellow stars Alejandro “Papu” Gómez, Lucas Ocampos, Ivan Rakitic, Nico Pareja, Alberto Moreno and Javier Saviola.

According to Spanish prosecutors, Shirtum Europa SLU used the credibility that the footballers’ endorsements provided to its advantage. To woo potential investors, the company pitched these players as “founders,” or ambassadors.

The central allegation of the lawsuit is that the footballers’ endorsements provided legitimacy to a controversial project. This project promised a digital platform for trading AFC Bournemouth-themed NFTs, but it never launched. These NFTs act as limited edition digital collectibles tied to footballers’ image rights. In one instance, they were charged more than €450 (~$513). Investors bought the NFTs with the company’s $SHI cryptocurrency token.

As outlined in court documents, the platform did not come through with a workable product. While money was reportedly misappropriated for personal use before the project’s untimely demise, investors are facing hundreds of millions in losses.

"The Barcelona footballers NFT scam case underscores the need for stricter oversight in sports-crypto collaborations." - a Spanish financial regulator, speaking to Reuters

Barcelona’s Court of Instruction No. 5 is in charge of the investigation, which was opened on June 10, 2025. This case illustrates the dangers of celebrity-promoted crypto projects. It would further set a new model for accountability that should come as this market grows.

Depending on the investigation’s findings, it could set a new standard for when accountability is required in celebrity-backed crypto endeavors. This begs the question, what are the obligations of public figures when directing followers to specific investments – particularly one as risky as a cryptocurrency.

As the case notes, this presents serious risks to investors. They can easily be influenced by celebrity advocates and let their guard down on due diligence. As this investigation unfolds, we expect additional information will be revealed. These disclosures will inform the public on the depth of this alleged fraud and each individual’s involvement, as named in the lawsuit.