Papu Gómez, Saviola Among Former Players Tied to Crypto Scam Investigation in Spain

A growing scandal in Barcelona has implicated several former Sevilla players, including Argentines Papu Gómez, Javier Saviola, Lucas Ocampos, and Nico Pareja. According to El Periódico, a local court has launched an investigation into an alleged crypto and NFT scam that may have defrauded investors of at least three million euros.

The case centers on Shirtum Europa S.L.U., a Spanish company that promised to create an app for selling exclusive football-themed NFTs and to launch its own cryptocurrency, $SHI. Though the players were not the masterminds behind the operation, they are under scrutiny for promoting the failed venture publicly.

The most exposed among them appears to be Papu Gómez, who reportedly has close ties to Shirtum director David Rozencwaig. The project, which involved digital collectibles priced at €450 each, never materialized. The promised app was never launched, the cryptocurrency never gained market value, and investors were left with unusable digital assets.

The lawsuit, filed by 12 individuals residing in Spain, runs 343 pages and includes 13 blockchain-related expert reports. It is backed by Prosper Lamothe Fernández, a finance professor at Madrid’s Autonomous University. Shirtum faces allegations of fraud, market manipulation, and embezzlement. While no players have been formally charged, their promotional roles have placed them under the spotlight in this high-profile financial probe.