KING OF LIES: FOOTBALL'S GREATEST CON

This is the story of how one man won over the football world, acquired a stake in a bank and courted North Korea in a bombastic trillion dollar caper.

After years in administration, the world’s oldest football club, Notts County, is taken over by mysterious backers. Promising Bahraini billions and a ticket to the Premier League, the biggest names in football are enticed in, led by ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.

In the shadows is Russell King. He boasted ownership of half a London bank, a Formula 1 team and a trillion-dollar deal with North Korea. His contact list was out-of-this-world and his elaborate lifestyle convinced everybody he was the real deal. 
 
But when an investigation digs into where the money is coming from, King’s house of cards topples - uncovering a series of frauds over decades that delivered heartbreak and devastation. 

 

PRESS ARTICLES

PODCAST WITH FILMMAKER MATTHEW LORENZO - MY TIME CAPSULE

**** [Four Stars] THE DAILY MAIL (WEEKEND)
"this one-off documentary relates the whole sorry and extraordinary tale. It captures both the high of the deal and the low that came when the reality was revealed - and all the guilt, the blame and consequences for the community that followed." THE DAILY MAIL
"this one-off documentary relates the whole sorry and extraordinary tale. It captures both the high of the deal and the low that came when the reality was revealed - and all the guilt, the blame and consequences for the community that followed." THE MAIL
"...it seemed like the start of a Cinderella story. But it was actually an incredible fraud..." THE DAILY MAIL
"everything is most certainly not what it seems in this tale of outrageous grift involving fictional Bahraini billions, a trip to North Korea, Sven-Göran Eriksson and Harry Potter villain Voldemort." THE GUARDIAN
"a brilliant new Sky documentary… a breathtaking story… but it is Eriksson’s remarkable interview - filmed three months before his death in August last year - which is really heart wrenching." THE MIRROR
"one of the most extraordinary scandals ever to grip English football" THE SUN
"This jaw-dropping documentary… one of the most ludicrous episodes in modern football history… retold in all its jaw-dropping detail in a new Sky documentary that remains eye-wateringly preposterous." THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
"Former England boss Eriksson recounts his bizarre seven months at Notts County in one of football’s most remarkable scandals. Notts County, the oldest professional club in the world, became embroiled in a multi-million fraud and money laundering scam which is being laid bare in incredible detail in a brilliant new Sky documentary." THE MIRROR
"This gripping documentary tells the wild story of the 2009 takeover of Notts County by a consortium with dubious links and a conman at their heart." THE GUARDIAN
"Pick of tonight's TV." THE GUARDIAN
Pick Of The Week THE SUNDAY TIMES
Pick Of The Week TV & SATELLITE WEEK
Pick Of The Day THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
Pick Of The Day RADIO TIMES

DURATION

1 x 89-minutes
Available in 4K / UHD

BROADCASTER

Sky Documentaries

YEAR OF PRODUCTION

2025

COUNTRY OF PRODUCTION

UK

Director

Louis Myles

Producers

Daniel Sharp, Matthew Lorenzo, Yasmine Weber

Executive Producers

Daniel Sharp, Matthew Lorenzo, Sam Cryer, Jack Oliver

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