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Former Chelsea striker Rati Aleksidze has been arrested in Germany for 'gang-related investment fraud'.
The Georgian, 45, played two games for Chelsea between 1999 to 2021, calling the likes of John Terry and Gianfranco Zola teammates during his spell at the club.
He left Stamford Bridge to return to Georgia before representing clubs in Russia and Hungary. He retired in 2014.
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Aleksidze now finds himself in trouble with the law as according to The Telegraph, he played a possible 'minor role' in a global investment crime gang, according to prosecutors investigating a cyber scam worth 'billions'.
He was temporarily held under a European arrest warrant in March and was extradited from Lithuania to Germany.
His arrest warrant has since been lifted, but inquiries continue.
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Aleksidze is suspected of playing 'at most' a minor role in the Tbilisi-based conspiracy accused of defrauding hundreds of thousands of investors.
It's believed the gang ran up 'damages in billions' following fraudulent investment websites.
The gang targeted their victims on the phone, with callers offering deals in cryptocurrency or other investments.
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On the incident, an official from the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Bavaria, Germany, said: "In recent years, the Bavarian Central Office for the Prosecution of Cybercrime has worked very closely with the Office of the Prosecutor General in Tbilisi on several complex investigations regarding large-scale online investment scams.
"In October 2021 and November 2022, large-scale action days with a large number of operational measures were organised in two distinct proceedings. Despite the numerous challenges that are due to the professionalism of cross-border organised crime, great successes were achieved together. These joint investigations are still ongoing.
"A. [Aleksidze] was arrested in Lithuania in March 2023 on the basis of a European arrest warrant obtained by the Bavarian Central Office for the Prosecution of Cybercrime and subsequently extradited to Germany.
"The arrest warrant was initially suspended at the end of June. In October, it was then lifted completely at our request because A. played at most a minor role in the relevant fraud network.
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"However, the investigations are still ongoing. I cannot tell you when any charges will be brought, but it will certainly take some time in view of the investigations into the overall complex."
Nasir Jabbar