Record champions react
Man pretends to be a Bayern scout – and asks for nude pictures
01/22/2025 – 6:43 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
There are not only a lot of scouts in professional football, they are also looking for the greatest talents in the youth sector. A man apparently took advantage of this fact to commit a crime.
A 25-year-old man is on trial because, as a supposed talent scout for FC Bayern Munich, he is said to have persuaded children to take naked pictures of themselves. The alleged perpetrator from Menges (Baden-Württemberg) is accused, among other things, of distributing youth pornography.
According to the presiding judge, he made an extensive confession at the start of the trial in the Ravensburg regional court. The admission took place behind closed doors due to personal rights.
According to a spokesman for FC Bayern, the club will also pursue civil legal action against the defendant, the German Press Agency said. It was said that the police had consulted with FC Bayern Munich. Several parents contacted the Bundesliga club about the alleged talent scout.
The accused acts are said to have taken place between March 2023 and June 2024. The defendant is said to have messaged several boys between the ages of 13 and 15 on social networks and persuaded them to send him nude pictures. The man is said to have done the same thing again and again and also targeted girls’ teams.
He told the children that the pictures were necessary for diagnosing the performance of the talents. He is also said to have used video calls to persuade his alleged victims to perform sexual acts.
The leading investigator said it is still unclear how many cases there are. She said in court that she became aware of the defendant through a complaint from a family from Freiburg. After that there were further advertisements.
During the search of the apartment, seven smartphones, a laptop and several USB sticks belonging to the defendant were seized. The review of the material and the search for further victims are not yet over. “It’s still an incredible amount,” said the investigator. Two new cases from Bavaria were added.