Kirsty Gallacher's rugby star ex left 'penniless and sleeping in car' after £450k scam

Kirsty Gallacher's rugby star ex left 'penniless and sleeping in car' after £450k scamThe former rugby ace saw his life fall apart after becoming a victim to fraud worth almost half a million poundsCommentsSportJon Doel and Fasika Zelealem Senior Sports Reporter11:46, 14 Apr 2026Updated 11:46, 14 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesPaul Sampson is now working in a warehouse to rebuild his life(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)Former England rugby star Paul Sampson, who was once married to TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, has spoken out about how he was left broke and without a roof over his head after falling prey to a £450,000 fraud. Sampson has two teenage sons with Gallacher, though the pair went their separate ways in 2015. He is now grafting 53 hours a week in a warehouse in a bid to rebuild his life.‌The three-cap England international told The Times he has been diagnosed with severe post-concussion syndrome (PPCS) following his rugby career, a condition which impacts his memory and decision-making.‌Sampson watched his life fall apart in 2019 after being tricked into pouring vast sums of money into a defence start-up company. He made five payments totalling £450,000, selling a property, drawing on his savings and taking out a loan from his partner's parents.‌He was promised returns of £11,000 a month but, after initially receiving them, the payments dried up and the company's directors began to blank him. The 48-year-old lost both his home and his relationship and was forced to sleep in his car.He has since sought medical attention for persistent headaches and received a PPCS diagnosis in 2023. He is also among the group of former rugby players pursuing legal action against World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union over brain injuries. The governing bodies deny liability.READ MORE: 'Broken' Kirsty Gallacher bursts into tears in court as she faces driving banREAD MORE: Kirsty Gallacher calls for more police on streets aft...