A convicted fraudster has been accused of fleecing parents of young footballers out of more than £27,000. Jay Austin, who also goes by the names James and Jamie, sold hundreds of girls aged under 12 the 'dream' of playing against big name clubs in front of talent scouts and at premier league stadiums. The 44-year-old - who said the allegations against him are false - told scores of enthused parents their daughters could take part in elite events, including the Paris International Cup. But it is claimed only a handful of the matches and tournaments Austin advertised actually went ahead, with dozens of parents reporting they were never refunded for cancelled matches.
Young girls dreaming of becoming the next Lionesses have had their dreams torn apart after it is suspected a convicted fraudster fleeced their parents out of more than £27,000 - with their chance to play in a Paris tournament now in jeopardy.
Jay Austin, who also goes by the names James and Jamie, and lives in Greater Manchester, sold hundreds of girls aged under 12 the 'dream' of playing against big name clubs in front of talent scouts and at premier league stadiums. The 44-year-old - who said the allegations against him are false - told scores of enthused parents their daughters could take part in elite events, including the Paris International Cup.
When the event takes place in July, it will mark the first ever junior tournament held at the prestigious Paris St Germain training ground. But it is claimed only a handful of the matches and tournaments Austin advertised actually went ahead, with dozens of parents reporting they were never refunded for cancelled matches. They were shocked to discover Austin failed to pay entry fees, while some of the tournaments never existed.
In some instances, parents were even charged for tournaments that were sponsored by the hosting clubs and free to enter. Parents also shelled out for kits they did not receive, alongside hundreds of pounds in registration fees and monthly subscriptions to retain a place for their daughters in the team.
And in the case of the Paris tournament, parents say they were pressured into collectively paying £8,500 upfront - only to find Austin never actually secured a place for RS Lionesses. Convicted fraudster Jay Austin has been accused of fleecing £27,000 out of parents of girls signed to a football team he founded RS Lionesses has launched an urgent fundraising appeal on GoFundMe to help the youngsters get to Paris after their parents were scammed out of thousands.
Parents claim Austin failed to pay entry fees, fabricated tournaments, charged for matches that were free to enter and failed to provide football kits, among other allegations. Early last month a despondent Austin told parents over a WhatsApp voice note, heard by Daily Mail, that he had 'messed up' and 'got himself into massive debt'. He added: 'For the last eight months I've been struggling.
I've got credit cards maxed out, I've got a loan which has snowballed, which I got out to support the football . I've got a store card maxed out. It's my mess up and I can only repay people in time. It's my fault.
' The team has now been suspended by Lancashire FA, while Austin has been issued with an interim suspension order and charged with bringing the game into disrepute. Dozens of families have contacted their banks as victims of an authorised push payment (APP) scam, though most have yet to receive a penny back. They have also launched a GoFundMe in the hopes of raising £2,000 to send the girls to Paris this summer.
As suspicions began to rise, it emerged Austin has a long history of fraud offences to his name. In 2008, Austin, originally of Weymouth, Dorset, was convicted of fraud and false representation, after he callously used his grandparents' names to open bank accounts. He spent tens of thousands of pounds paying off gambling debts, while he wrote more than 200 cheques worth up to £15,000 which then bounced due to insufficient funds.
Four years later Austin was jailed for two years after being arrested for passing fake bank notes at Royal Ascot. Then in 2017, Austin - now presenting himself as a talent agent - was accused by a Jamie Vardy lookalike of being scammed out of appearance fees. Postman Lee Chapman found fame after he was pulled on to the team coach as Leicester City celebrated their Premier League win.
He featured across national press after his apparent resemblance to Vardy - with Austin swiftly stepping in to represent him. But months later, Chapman said he received only a fraction of the fees due to him. In 2021, Austin again came into the limelight when former glamour model Katie Price accused him of trying to making thousands from her disabled son Harvey.
Parents say they were pressured into collectively paying £8,500 upfront for the Paris International Cup - only to find Austin never actually secured a place for RS Lionesses. Austin, at the time running a PR firm called Lucky7, told one web company he was a promoter and could get the 18-year-old to star in videos.
He engaged business with Price, but said she hadn't been made aware of any deal involving her son and raged to fans in a now-deleted Instagram video that she wouldn't touch Austin 'with a bargepole'. She added: 'If he approaches you to do posts for me it's not legi
Football Scam Fraud Parents Girls Lionesses Paris International Cup Premier League Talent Scouts Tournaments Entrance Fees Tournament Fees Registration Fees Monthly Subscriptions Kit Fees Charges Pressure Collective Payment Scam Allegations Fraud Offences Convicted Fraudster Lancashire FA Gofundme Paris St Germain Royal Ascot Jamie Vardy Katie Price PR Firm Promoter Web Company Instagram Video
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Obama stumps for Texas Senate nominee James Talarico at Austin restaurantThe restaurant stop marked the pair's first public appearance together and came just two weeks ahead of the state's runoff election.
Read more »
Austin police identify man killed in shooting outside North Lamar restaurant; teen suspectAustin police have identified the man killed in a shooting outside a North Austin restaurant over the weekend and say the suspected shooter is a 16-year-old who
Read more »
Greater Austin Book Festival returns to Austin Central Library!Book lovers across Central Texas are invited to celebrate stories, creativity, and community as the Greater Austin Book Festival returns to Austin Central Libra
Read more »
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's edgy display at their eldest son RZA's fourth birthday partyRihanna and A$AP Rocky attended their eldest son RZA's fourth birthday party in New York. The couple looked loved-up and edgy in their complementary ensembles featuring neutral shades and a baggy silhouette. Rihanna held a plethora of balloons and a handbag while leaving the party, and A$AP carried decorations. The party took place at a slime-themed venue, where prices average $40 (£27) per person.
Read more »