Website Claiming to Support Diogo Jota’s Legacy Disappears Amid Suspicion of Fraud

A website reportedly set up to promote a ‘Diogo Jota Foundation’ has vanished after raising nearly £50,000 for charitable causes. The site, launched shortly after the footballer’s death in July, claimed to support youth empowerment, community projects, and football initiatives in Gondomar, Portugal.

The foundation’s homepage stated it aimed to honor Jota’s legacy through programs such as football camps, scholarships, mentorship, and community partnerships. It claimed to have distributed 25,000 meals, sponsored 300 students, and established 50 local collaborations. Interestingly, donations were only accepted in cryptocurrency, directing users to a platform accepting USDT, ETH, and other digital currencies.

However, the website no longer exists, displaying a blank page. Several organizations, including Liverpool FC, Unicef, and Allianz, which had logos featured on the site, denied any association when contacted. Additionally, the UK’s Charity Commission confirmed the foundation had never registered as a charity, which is mandatory for organizations with income exceeding £5,000 per year in England or Wales.

Payments made to the foundation were also scrutinized. The CEO of NOWPayments clarified that they had not processed any transactions for this entity, suggesting the platform’s involvement might have been misused for fraudulent fundraising activities.

Although Liverpool announced plans to launch a grassroots football program in Jota’s memory, they stated they had no connection to the suspicious foundation. Earlier, the club released a commemorative T-shirt featuring Jota’s silhouette and lyrics from his chant to support these initiatives.

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A website claiming to be for a ‘Diogo Jota Foundation’ has shut down after raising nearly £50,000 — with no confirmed affiliation to the player’s family or Liverpool FC.

This was the homepage of the foundation, which claimed to raise funds for good causes.

As of Friday morning, after reports, the website domain now displays a blank page, indicating the foundation’s online presence has been dismantled.