2 days Ago By Suswati Basu
A FRAUDSTER who conned a nurse and a TV personality out of thousands of pounds is at the centre of a new ITV documentary. The former Southend United youth player was jailed after posing as a Premier League star. Here’s what we know about Medi Abalimba .
Abalimba, 34, was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and relocated to the UK at the age of five. It's known that he fled to London with his family due to escalating tensions in Congo. Raised in London, he initially fell in with a problematic crowd, but his life took a positive turn when his football talents were recognised.
At one point in his career, Abalimba was a rising football star, earning approximately £20,000 weekly at Derby County . He even had trials at Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool. In 2009, he joined Derby County for £1.
2million and also played for clubs such as Oldham Athletic , Southend United , Fulham , and Crystal Palace . However, frequent injuries prevented him from achieving football superstardom. By 2012, his career had declined to the point where he signed with Farnborough Town, earning £300 a week and supplementing his income by working part-time at a taxi firm.
Despite his reduced circumstances, Abalimba continued to live a lavish lifestyle by impersonating Chelsea player Gael Kakuta . He blamed his fall from the higher leagues to "lack of discipline and commitment." In his earlier years, Abalimba played two seasons as a youth player for Southend United, starting in 2008, a.
