Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News 

This former Chelsea loanee who was praised by Cristiano Ronaldo as better than him has been charged after cops reportedly found cocaine in his underpants and all over his house.

Former Sporting Lisbon winger Fabio Paim was arrested in August 2019 in the municipality of Cascais in Portugal’s Lisbon District and cops reportedly seized cocaine from a wardrobe and a chest of drawers in his home, as well as from his car and underwear.

Reports in Portugal now state the Public Ministry have charged Paim, 31, with drug trafficking as on 1st August “he had in his possession, hidden and wrapped up next to his genital area, the quantity of 120 EUR”.

The Public Ministry have reportedly concluded that the money along with the drugs allegedly seized show that Paim was working as a drug trafficker.

The investigation said Paim prepared the cocaine at home “using a knife, scissor and precise weighing scales” to sell cocaine for at least 35 EUR per bag in the streets of Cascais “since the beginning of 2019 at the latest”.

It is unclear if a trial date has been set.

Paim was reportedly seen as the “eternal promise” of the Sporting Lisbon youth system and Cristiano Ronaldo said in 2003 “you think I’m good, wait until you see Fabio Paim”. He moved to Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Chelsea in August 2008 but he only appeared for the club’s reserves during his four-month spell at Stamford Bridge.

The winger went on to play for 19 clubs in a career which never fulfilled its potential.

He was previously accused of travelling to the Azores to sell drugs but prosecutors reportedly could not find enough evidence and he was absolved.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.