Footballer whose family claimed he had been ‘killed in car crash’ is discovered alive as his ex-wife is probed for fraud after six-figure insurance pay-out

A footballer whose family said he died in a car crash in 2016 is said to be alive in Germany, with his ex-wife now being probed for fraud after a six-figure insurance pay-out.

Hiannick Kamba, a former Schalke defender was said to have died in his native Congo before a “six-figure sum” was reportedly paid to his wife as part of an insurance settlement.

According to German outlet Bild, Kamba, who is now said to be 33, is back in the Ruhr area of Germany and working back at his old job as a chemist for a power supplier. Other German outlets describe Kamba as “obviously not dead”.

The talented right-back played alongside Bayern Munich and Germany icon Manuel Neuer for Schalke’s youth team before his departure in July 2007.

He also played for a variety of lower league German sides and was playing for eighth tier outfit VFB Huls when news of his death emerged during a January 2016 trip to his homeland in Congo.

It was reported that Kamba, who was 29 at the time, left his friends for a trip to the “interior” of the African country without his papers, phone or money and died in a car crash.

When news of the death reached Germany, Kamba’s ex-wife reportedly produced a Congolese death certificate and a funeral announcement in order to secure the pay-out.

After reportedly traveled back to Germany in March 2018, he was seen alive near his home old home in Gelsenkirchen.

Essen city attorney general, Annette Milk has announced a public prosecution against the unnamed ex-wife, 39, who only learned of the life insurance policy after the alleged death.

Milk said: “The accused is accused of fraud. But she denies the charge. The process is still ongoing.”

Kamba was said to have reported to the German embassy in the Congolese capital Kinshasa in 2018 to address the “fake news” of his death and inform authorities of the “actual situation.”

The former footballer, who has no charges against him will be called as a witness in the trial.

In 1986, Kamba fled the Congo with his parents as a youngster and after his family were deported back to the war-torn nation in 2005, he was granted full asylum and residency rights to stay in Germany after the interference of his club.