Former Super Eagles defender, Efe Sodje alongside his two brothers Sam and Akpo have been accused of money laundering and charged to court in the UK.

The three brothers were jointly charged to court with two other men, Emmanuel Ehikhamen and Andrew Oruma for £80,000 email banking scam which targeted firms in Columbia, India, Italy and Abu Dhabi.

However, all accused men have denied the charges at the Old Bailey court.

The offences was said to have taken place in November 2013 with the Prosecutor Julian Christopher QC saying: “This case is about international money laundering. In November 2013 a number of companies around the world – in Columbia, India, Italy and Abu Dhabi – were the victims of fraud.

“They were sent emails which they thought came from their suppliers to whom they owed money, but the emails provided new, false, bank details to which the money should apparently be sent.

“There were two bank accounts to which these companies were tricked into sending money.

One of the Sodje brothers, Akpo Sodje, who resides in Dubai, has reportedly refused to travel to the UK for interrogations by detectives.

“One belonged to the first defendant, Emmanuel Ehikhamen, the other to a man named Akpo Sodje, brother of the defendants Efe Sodje and Sam Sodje.

“The prosecution allege that all four of them and also the defendant Andrew Oruma were involved in an arrangement to facilitate the receiving and onward transmission of money which had been obtained by these frauds, keeping some as financial rewards for their assistance.” the prosecutor added.