Neymar imposter arrested for allegedly blackmailing women after tricking them into sending raunchy videos
Police in Brazil detain one suspect and hunt another over scam which involved using Barcelona superstar's image
BRAZILIAN police have arrested a man who allegedly posed as Neymar as part of a shocking extortion plot.
The 30-year-old is accused of using the Barcelona superstar's image to trick women into sending him raunchy pictures and videos.
He and a suspected accomplice - who police are searching for - then apparently threatened to release the clips in order to blackmail the women.
The principal suspect is understood to have posed as a professional photographer on a Brazilian social network before using fake profiles of famous Brazilians - including 24-year-old Neymar - to trick victims.
A woman claims she was invited to party in Barcelona with the striker.
The victim was even told she would be given fast-track papers to get her and a friend into Spain.
She told Globo anonymously: "He said he could expedite the passport, asked us for R$350 (£80) each and we sent the money believing him.
"Then we talked by video thinking it was Neymar on the screen.
"At first I said no, then I went down to just some little panties and a bra. I really thought that would be it.
"Then he was extorting us a lot and even though we told him we didn't have any money he kept pressing us."
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Brazil's cyber-police manage to track the crimes to an Internet cafe in the state of Minas Gerais.
The suspect - identified as 30-year-old Carlos Antonio Rodrigues - was arrested. Police also detained the owner of the cafe before later releasing him.