An alleged scammer accused of bilking former NFL players out of more than $1 million was found dead in a pool in New Jersey this month, leaving questions unanswered and raising new ones.
As authorities in Jersey continue to dig into the circumstances surrounding the death of the 24-year-old, identified as Mohamed Coulibaly, we’re taking a closer look at what’s known so far.
Keep reading for more below.
Former NFL players speak out, accusing Coulibaly of scamming them
Mere weeks before news broke of the alleged scammer’s death, Jacob Adelman published an in-depth investigative piece for Barron’s detailing the alleged fraud operation in which Coulibaly had been accused of ensnaring several former NFL players. In short, Coulibaly, from Philadelphia, was accused of taking money from investors in exchange for ownership of fake Shopify digital storefronts.
“Everybody doesn’t know if they’re going to get their money back,” one unnamed athlete was quoted as saying when asked about their experience with Coulibaly. “People are scared.”
Barron’s noted that three ex-NFL players they spoke with claimed to have collectively lost over $1 million in the alleged scam.
One noteworthy NFL alum said to have been caught up in Coulibaly’s web is ex-Giants player Tae Crowder, who put $500,000 into one of the allegedly fraudulent online shops.
“I don’t want anybody else to get involved in anything like this,” Crowder cautioned in a 6abc Action News report.
In a statement shared with The New York Post in July, Coulibaly denied the claims made against him.
Coulibaly found dead in Jersey pool at the age of 24
Fast forward to July 31, and Coulibaly had been found dead in a pool at a residence in the Harris Township area of New Jersey when local police visited the property for a welfare check. As of this writing, additional details on the death have not been publicly announced.
Complex has reached out to reps for the Harrison Township Police Department and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office for comment. This story may be updated.
