A one-time Liverpool trialist is facing jail after allegedly impersonating a multi-millionaire Chelsea player in a 141,000 pounds credit card fraud, according to a report.
Medi Abalimba, 22, falsely claimed to be former France under-21 youth international Gael Kakuta, currently on loan with Spanish club Rayo Vallecano, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Abalimba allegedly used his false identity to obtain luxury goods, drink and clothes on credit using a fake credit card, Manchester Crown Court heard. He enjoyed VIP treatment at five-star hotels, helicopter flights, limousine rides and also ran up thousands of pounds in restaurant and bar bills, then disappeared without paying.
The former footballer was arrested after attempting to buy more than 20,000 pounds worth of clothing from designer store Selfridges, at the Trafford Centre, near Manchester.
Abalimba, of Burton Street, Fitzrovia, London, admitted credit card fraud, making off without payment, taking a Range Rover car without consent and driving without insurance and without a licence.
Speaking via a video link from prison, he pleaded guilty to charges relating to around 53,000 pounds worth of goods, and asked for offences totalling another 88,000 pounds to be taken into consideration.
At the time of the offences, Abalimba was subject to a suspended sentence -- given to him in February 2013 for ordering almost 26,000 pounds worth of champagne with a false bank card at a bar in London's West End and then leaving without paying.
Judge Robert Atherton adjourned the case in order for background reports on Abalimba to be prepared before passing sentence, but said: "How will a pre-sentence report assist me in a case which will inevitably be a substantial prison sentence? I'm not planning a non-custodial sentence."
Born in Congo, Abalimba played in the youth teams at Crystal Palace and Fulham before moving to League Two side Southend when he was 16. He played for Liverpool's reserves during a trial in 2008, although never actually signed for the club.
The midfielder also had trials with Manchester City and Manchester United before moving on to Championship side Derby in 2009. He never played a first-team match either for Derby or League One club Oldham, and he subsequently drifted into non-league football.