Former Liverpool man Dirk Kuyt has fallen foul of one of the most elaborate scams of all, according to Dutch reports.
Several Dutch newspapers are reporting that Kuyt, who now plies his trade in the Eredivisie with Feyenoord, fell victim to an elaborate con by a hotel butler who is accused of robbing guests’ jewellery and selling them off without their knowledge.
The butler is alleged to have offered to keep the jewellery safe for the hotel’s clients, but swapped them for fakes after selling the real ones for thousands of euro.
De Telegraaf reports that Kuyt gave the butler, named as Marcel J, €200,000 for a diamond in good faith, which they planned to sell for a profit that they would split. Marcel J had worked as a butler at the hotel Noordwijk for over a decade.
However, when Kuyt had doubts about the deal and asked for his money back, he found out that butler had already spent it on other expenses.
The report claims that Kuyt was able to get some of his money back off Marcel J, but it is understood that he has taken legal proceedings to recoup the rest of the lost cash.
Kuyt, who is currently on holidays in the Dutch Antilles, refused to comment on the story.
