England legend Emile Heskey caught up in £15m ‘fraudulent’ deal for top football club in Cyprus – years after he was declared bankrupt

Former England footballer Emile Heskey has been caught up in a multi-million-pound legal battle over a ‘fraudulent’ business deal.

The retired striker, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, was the high-profile face of a British businessman’s £15m deal to buy a stake in a professional Cypriot football club.

Craig Gabriel had been hailed as the saviour of leading Cypriot club Apollon Limassol last year when he offered to inject £15m.

Gabriel and Heskey visited the club in August where the pair were pictured and Heskey took to the pitch at the 10,000-capacity stadium.

It is understood that Heskey had been lined up to be director of football at the club once the deal had been fully completed. 

Heskey celebrates scoring for England at the 2002 World Cup with David Beckham

Apollon, which once signed England player Wes Brown, have played in the Europa and Conference Leagues and play in the island’s top division.

Gabriel, according to High Court documents, told club representatives that he was worth nearly £500m but later backed out of the deal.

Now the club is suing Gabriel through the Cyprus courts for £8m for breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation but has also launched action in the UK High Court.

Although Heskey is not the subject of any allegations of wrongdoing, the club and its lawyers’ want to question Heskey about his involvement and what Gabriel told him.

Heskey accompanied Gabriel trips to Cyprus to meet club officials and met officials and fans as the deal was unveiled last year amid much press coverage.

Nikos Kirzis, Apollon president, said: ‘Gabriel visited Apollon a number of times with Heskey, and we are keen to reach out to Heskey in respect of what he knew about Gabriel’s purported plans for the club and whether Gabriel also misrepresented his wealth and ability to invest in the club to Heskey.’

Heskey has a chequered financial history, was declared bankrupt in 2010 and in 2024 was ordered to pay almost £200,000 in a dispute over an unpaid tax bill.

In 2025, according to the claim, Gabriel represented himself as a multi-millionaire investor prepared to invest £15m in Apollon.

The claim states: ‘(Gabriel) stated his wealth was £425m, almost all of which was the value…of his company…Redhat Capital. That value included emeralds…with a value of £250m.’

But a series of investment instalments, according to the High Court documents, failed to transpire and the club then won freezing orders against Gabriel in the Cyprus and UK courts.

The claim against Gabriel was laid out in UK High Court documents disclosed during the Apollon Limassol’s successful application to freeze Gabriel’s assets.

The 56-year-old businessman, from Chester, later admitted in legal disclosures, that he had no more than £540,000 in assets, according to the claim.

Gabriel, who told club officials he was worth £500m, is pictured with Heskey at the airport

Gabriel, according to the court documents, made ‘fraudulent misrepresentations about his financial means and ability to invest.’

Heskey was declared bankrupt in 2010, the year that he the Leicester-born striker retired from international football.

Heskey, who won 62 England caps, played for Leicester, Liverpool and Villa, among others.

Since retiring as a player in 2016, Heskey has forged a career as a coach and pundit, but he also has a string of failed companies. He was once reported to be worth around £12m.

His profile, however, has increased again in recent years because of the emergence of his sons Jaden and Reigan, both at Manchester City.

Gabriel said he had pulled the deal because Apollon directors had failed to provide ‘correct’ financial information, and because of ‘mismanagement’ was in ‘dire financial straits’.

He said: ‘Forget the nonsense “Mr Gabriel didn’t have the money”. It is a smoke screen.

‘You do not go looking to buy clubs without the money or the backing to do so or involve people like Emile Heskey who is a good friend.’

Gabriel said he did not object to the freezing order because he did not have time to prepare a defence and because of a family bereavement.

He added: ‘The main fight will be in Cyprus, which will be interesting.’ 

A spokesman for Mr Gabriel added that he had ‘initially agreed to purchase the club…(but) pulled out… when he discovered the club to be in a very much worse financial position.

‘The freezing order made by the High Court was agreed by Mr Gabriel, as he has nothing to hide and has no intention of dissipating his assets.’

‘Mr Gabriel is confident that he will be vindicated in the court proceedings.’

Heskey was approached for comment.