• [Daily Mirror Icon]
• Sport
• Rugby Union
• Kirsty Gallacher

Kirsty Gallacher's rugby star ex left 'penniless and sleeping in car' after 450k scam

The former rugby ace saw his life fall apart after becoming a victim to fraud worth almost half a million pounds

[Kirsty Gallacher and Paul Sampson]

View 4 Images

Paul Sampson is now working in a warehouse to rebuild his life(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)

Former England rugby star Paul Sampson, who was once married to TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, has spoken out about how he was left broke and without a roof over his head after falling prey to a 450,000 fraud. Sampson has two teenage sons with Gallacher, though the pair went their separate ways in 2015. He is now grafting 53 hours a week in a warehouse in a bid to rebuild his life.

The three-cap England international told The Times he has been diagnosed with severe post-concussion syndrome (PPCS) following his rugby career, a condition which impacts his memory and decision-making.

Sampson watched his life fall apart in 2019 after being tricked into pouring vast sums of money into a defence start-up company. He made five payments totalling 450,000, selling a property, drawing on his savings and taking out a loan from his partner's parents.

He was promised returns of 11,000 a month but, after initially receiving them, the payments dried up and the company's directors began to blank him. The 48-year-old lost both his home and his relationship and was forced to sleep in his car.

He has since sought medical attention for persistent headaches and received a PPCS diagnosis in 2023. He is also among the group of former rugby players pursuing legal action against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union over brain injuries. The governing bodies deny liability.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page

"It's only in the past few years I've understood the effect it's had. My brain gets overwhelmed and can't process situations - it just shuts things out," he told The Times. "For that reason it took me years to even realise I'd been a victim of a fraud.

"I suspect it's a vulnerability that the people who took my money could see in me immediately. For them it was an opportunity to exploit me while they were pretending to help me. It has devastated my life."

[Kirsty Gallacher And Paul Sampson]

4

View 4 Images

The pair share two children(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)

[Paul Sampson in action for England]

4

View 4 Images

Sampson had three caps for England during his career(Image: Getty Images)

The alleged fraudsters informed Sampson they were tendering for contracts with NATO, the UN and the UK Government. He was entertained for an evening at London's Special Forces Club and promised a role connected to military mental health.

The scam began when Sampson transferred an initial 50,000, having allegedly been led to believe the firm was bidding for contracts with Nato, the UN and the Government. He was subsequently wined and dined at London's Special Forces Club and promised a position in military mental health, he claimed.

Sampson reported the fraud to Barclays in 2025, but had his claim turned down as it fell outside the six-year time limit. The National Fraud helpline subsequently became involved, calling on Barclays and the Financial Ombudsman to re-examine the case.

[Kirsty Gallacher]

View 4 Images

Kirsty Gallacher left Sky Sports in 2018(Image: Getty Images)

Barclays said in a statement: "We have every sympathy for Paul, and the position this has left him in. Five payments were made in early 2019 to two companies. When Paul attempted to make the payments, we held four scam prevention conversations with him to check he did not believe he was the subject of a scam.

"Two were by phone and two face-to-face in branch. At the conclusion he confirmed he wanted the payments to be made. All customers have six years to report scams and complaints.

"Unfortunately, Paul did not do this and the case has fallen outside the deadline. At no point during that time did he tell us he had been scammed." The Financial Ombudsman Service said it does not comment on individual cases.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

[Content Image]

44

Sky

Get the deal here

Product Description

Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Martin Richardson from the National Fraud Helpline told The Times: "The fraudsters not only took advantage of Sampson's affinity for the military and desire to work with them in a mental health environment, they clearly also took advantage of his own neurological deficits in rushing him into making the supposed investment.

"[He was] induced into making the investment while still going through an extremely difficult period of his life following the collapse of his marriage." Sampson added: "I have to live the rest of my life having lost everything, and thinking about the manner in which it was taken just doesn't go away."

[Daily Mirror Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.