I brought the money in a laundry bag. It’s millions

The phone rings for a long time in vain, then comes an impersonal text message: I’ll call you later. He will keep his word, if only for the next day. “I received an order for new goods, I have to check everything first,” apologized Adam Petrouš, former Czech representative, participant in the 2000 Olympic Games football tournament in Sydney, Australia, who recognized the rivalry between of Slavia and Sparta from both sides.

He is a businessman so he has to show off. And first think about the development of your business.

He stuck with sports gear, but moved from football boots to bicycles. “I own a bicycle e-shop,” he reveals his business activities. “It works,” he doesn’t complain. “After covid, people are interested again,” he praised. “The only problem is the parts,” he says.

After all, he had a lot of business experience, albeit a bad one. As a football player active in Russia and Turkey, he earned a decent amount of money. “It’s not hundreds of millions, but tens, decent for investments,” reveals his bank account after the end of his career. “I’m not sloppy, I liked a good life, but I didn’t spend too much to ruin everything. I didn’t play slots, I didn’t gamble, even drugs. I saved something,” proving responsibility for the next that is alive.

He met Petr Svoboda, who was in the restaurant business. Families also became friends, sharing holidays, dinners, and slowly New Year’s Eve and Christmas as well. Together with Petr Svoboda, he went to the project of other restaurants with Italian cuisine. “I put in a lot of money, I even lent him quite a bit of money to get started,” he said. “He’s good, hardworking,” he recognized his abilities.

However, they are more extensive …

It worked for them for ten years, they opened more pubs, they had income and income. “He didn’t pay the six million I lent him, but it continued,” Petrouš admitted that he let himself be swayed. “I haven’t dealt in a long time. When I asked him to return the loan, he suggested that I buy an apartment from him in Mallorca. But he also sold it to another partner, Marek Štraus. He also lost a lot. It’s even worse,” said another victim.

Money has ruined any character. “He lived a high life, he was a collector of old cars, vintage cars,” Petrouš revealed his partner’s hobby. “He is hiding a Mercedes, looking for it. In the end, he borrowed usury, borrowed a million and paid fifty thousand monthly interest. It is unbearable. At the same time, the money from the restaurants is big, the income is one million per month. He had nothing to do. I do not understand. But he still has a little,” he wondered.

Fall is inevitable. “We went bankrupt, he went bankrupt, there is a trial, he owes about 160 million.”

The case was taken up by the judiciary. The former partner was sentenced to six years in prison for fraud. He appealed but was unsuccessful.

He entered prison in May this year. However, the chance that Petrouš, as the injured party, can claim compensation in a civil dispute. “I have to pay the amount according to the amount of the damage, I don’t have that,” Petrouš gave up on the fight. “I’ve thought about it in my head. I’ve found a balance, I’m not mad at him anymore,” he preferred to end this unpleasant part of life.

He has his own business – a bicycle ride.

He ended his active career two years ago. “I try to hang out in lower competitions in recent years, I played in Neveklov, where I have a bar, for the local Sokol, who played the district championship in Benešovské, the last stint was the 1st B class in Central Bohemian Region in TJ Jíkev,” he said. “But it’s not possible without proper training, every other fight I’ve worked hard for, it’s not worth it,” he lost in the age battle.

He sometimes came to play for the old guard of Slavia Prague, where he was attracted by its builder, who was also a former stopper of the national team, Jan Mareš. “I always look forward to who I will meet,” he says, welcoming the added value of match. “Maybe after 25 years I meet Radek Krejčík, Láďa Volešák, Jirka Jeslínek, Luboš Zákostelský, Martin Hyský join us, I see Martin Müller more often, we will call each other,” he discusses the line-up .

After all, he wants to stay in football as a coach, he gets an honest education. He worked for Slavia Praha’s youth team, his last contact was with Příbram. “I was the head coach of the youth team and led the 15-team team,” he recalled. “Everything ended with covid,” he pointed out, noting that the pandemic also affected his teaching plans. “It’s a good job especially thanks to Mr. Stark, for which I wish him to recover and come back soon. “Příbram football will not work without him,” he thinks of the boss of the Central Bohemian club, which is suffering big problems with health this year.

If there is a new teaching opportunity, he will not despise it. “I studied, passed the exams, it’s a waste to throw away and not use,” he realized. “But I’m not going anywhere and I’m not drinking, but if someone comes, I’ll be happy,” he reminded himself.

When it came to the current conflict in the war in Ukraine, it immediately occurred to him that he recognized the foreign involvement of the Russian Rubin Kazan. “I remember it very fondly, I was young, gaining new experiences, how to train differently, what being abroad entails,” he recalls.

He follows political events, but does not associate them with Russian involvement. “I have no friends among local footballers, we are a Czech enclave, Ríša Dostálek played for the club, who joined me from Slavia, Spartans Jirka Novotný and Tomáš Čížek, with hockey players, we socialize mainly together,” he points out.

It is also a college for him in business and financial management. It was no secret that the owner paid the players in cash – in dollars that they brought home in plastic bags. “I used a sports bag I got there for dirty laundry. I put it in,” Petrouš describes the unique mode of transportation. “They flew through Moscow or another route through Samara and Frankfurt. However, I sent the money to different banks to different banks, it was not in my backpack, no. They is a decent amount, in the millions of crowns. A monthly salary in hand, once a year bonuses and much more,” he managed with the nobility of a seasoned smuggler.

After all, he did not even feel that he was in Russia, Tatarstan has the status of an autonomous republic. “This is a very rich country and the club is supported by the local government,” he pointed out.

He comes from a football family, his father Václav played in the league, and his brother Michal, eight years older, made a name for himself as a coach. “I probably did it as a player, my brother as a coach, he led the league teams Bohemka, Slavia, then he was the head of youth at Bohemians. He has the highest license,” he acknowledges the expertise of his brother.

However, he has a special relationship with her, they hardly see each other. “I don’t want to comment on that,” he deliberately dropped the subject.

Update: we’ve clarified the passage about Petrous’ restaurant business. It contains inaccurate information about starting his business.