- In January 2016, former Schalke 04 defender Hiannick Kamba was reported by Bild to have died in a car crash in his native Congo.
- On Thursday, the 33-year-old was confirmed to be alive and working in the same city as his former club.
- Kamba’s death is reported by Bild to have been allegedly staged, after which his wife cashed out a life insurance policy by producing a Congolese death certificate.
- The unnamed woman, with whom Kamba shares a child, is now under investigation for fraud, according to the BBC.
- Kamba’s legal aide Anette Milk says Kamba returned to Germany two years ago and has since been working as a chemical technician for an energy company in Gelsenkirchen.
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In January 2016, former Schalke 04 defender Hiannick Kamba was reported by Bild to have died in a car crash in Congo.
On Thursday, the 33-year-old was confirmed to be alive and working in the same city as his former club.
Kamba’s legal aide Anette Milk told Bild that on the night Kamba was alleged to have died, he was instead “abandoned by friends overnight on a visit to Congo in January, 2016, and was left without documents, money, and a cell phone.”
Bild reports the car crash that purportedly killed Kamba was allegedly staged, and that the player’s wife subsequently collected “a low seven-digit amount [in euros]” from a life insurance policy after producing a Congolese death certificate.
The unnamed woman, with whom Kamba shares a child, is now under investigation for fraud. Kamba is set to be a witness during the investigation, claiming he was unaware of his wife's actions, according to the BBC.
"The accused is accused of fraud, but she denies the fact," Milk told Bild. "The proceedings are still ongoing."
Milk says Kamba returned to Germany two years ago, where he has since been working as a chemical technician for an energy company in the city of Gelsenkirchen.
The right-back was part of Schalke's youth system as a youngster before leaving the club in 2007. At the time of his reported death, he was playing for eighth tier club VFB Huls.
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