Manchester United-supporting Mongolian Teenager Scammed By Agent is Subject of Charity Appeal

An appeal has been launched to help reimburse a Mongolian footballer who was defrauded of nearly 4,000 GBP by a fake agent.

Manchester United fan Ochiroo Batbold was approached on Facebook by a man claiming to have links with West Ham United and Los Angeles Galaxy. The fraudster claimed to have watched videos of him playing for amateur side Bayangol and told him he could secure him a trial in the U.S.

The 17-year-old was told to pay a sum of 6,000 USD, which represents over a year's salary for his parents, to secure his place with the MLS side, only discovering that he had been scammed after showing a member of club staff the fake contract he had been sent. He was also asked to provide further money to insure himself against injuries on his trial".

Ochiroo shares a one-room ger with three other family members in Ulaanbaatar and his parents had taken out a loan for what they believed would be their son's big break. They now face the prospect of losing their home if the appeal does not reach its 3,800 GBP target.

Paul Watson, the English co-owner who set up Bayangol in 2013, told Standard Sport: "We're hoping that fundraising may give Ochiroo a second chance.

Right now he's very depressed and the family are desperate, the guilt is eating Ochiroo up and he's even considering quitting football. As a club we are doing everything we can to help but we are relying on the good nature of genuine football lovers to help.

Watson, who has also coached the Federated States of Micronesia football team, was left hugely disappointed at the plight of Ochiroo. He described the youngster as the sort of player that he had founded the club for.

"We were told that there was a 17-year-old called Ochiroo who would routinely train...