Atlanta Falcons player claims cash went missing during hotel stay in Morocco

Esther Okoronkwo, a forward for the Super Falcons, has made allegations that cleaning staff at the team's hotel in Morocco stole cash from players' rooms while they were away, with the incident occurring during the team's preparations for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

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The accusations were made by Okoronkwo in a series of posts on Snapchat on Friday, in which she detailed how the alleged thefts were discovered and the response of hotel management to the incident.

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According to Okoronkwo, the money went missing when the players were not in their rooms and the cleaners were present to tidy up, with the team having camped at a hotel in Casablanca as part of their preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

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The team was scheduled to depart for Rabat, the venue of their Group C matches, on Friday, and Okoronkwo urged her teammates and followers to write negative reviews about the hotel in response to the alleged thefts.

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Okoronkwo initially stated that $500 had been taken from her belongings, but later corrected herself, saying that the actual amount stolen was $700, and posted a photo of her teammates in the hotel alongside the correction.

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She also listed several other squad members who she claimed were affected by the alleged thefts, including a teammate identified as Hali, who had $100 taken, and another player, Osi, who also lost $100.

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A player identified as Joy had £120 stolen, according to Okoronkwo, and she also stated that an unspecified amount was taken from another teammate.

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The squad confronted hotel staff over the missing cash, but Okoronkwo said they received no clear explanation and were instead met with disrespect from the staff.

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Okoronkwo added that when she reported the matter to front desk staff, they showed little concern and did not seem troubled by the report, prompting her to warn prospective guests about the hotel's alleged poor service and thieving staff.

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Deborah Abiodun and Gift Monday completed the Super Falcons' squad at their Marriott hotel camp in Casablanca ahead of the tournament, with head coach Justine Madugu fielding a full 25-player squad as preparations intensified.

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The defending and 10-time champions were set to open their title defence in Morocco, with qualification for the World Cup and a record two-million-dollar first prize on the line.

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Comment from the hotel or the Nigeria Football Federation on the allegations was not immediately available as of the time of this report.