Newcastle United fans are enjoying their moment in the sun. Riding high in the Premier League and with a cup final on the horizon, the good times are back on Tyneside. How different things could have been, however, had the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben never taken the reins at St James' Park.
As PIF's initial takeover bid stalled in 2019, other mysterious figures emerged out of the blue to try and free Newcastle of Mike Ashley once and for all. Some legitimate companies tried to purchase the Premier League outfit, while others used the saga to try and grow their brand or improve their personal image.
Newcastle fans woke on Friday morning to discover Henry Mauriss, of 2019 Newcastle takeover infamy, has spent the last seven months in a California jail after being charged with wire fraud. A report by the Athletic states Mauriss is due for release in April 2024 after being under FBI investigation for several years.
