2 Slain Inside NFL Player’s Condo

Investigators suspect two African immigrants slain at a Long Island condo owned by an NFL player may have been killed as revenge for an Internet scam, police said Tuesday.
Sekou Sakor and Ansu Keita were each shot in the head sometime Thursday night at a condominium in Woodbury, N.Y., owned by Jonathan Vilma. There were no arrests.

The New Orleans Saints linebacker and former New York Jets player was not there at the time and not believed to be involved, said New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne.

Browne said investigators believe the victims may have been mixed up in a so-called “black money” scheme. Victims are sent e-mails saying that cash smuggled from overseas — stained black to avoid detection — can be purchased at a discount; what they receive is a trunk full of worthless paper.

It was unclear how Sakor, 31, and Keita, 32, both originally from Liberia, ended up at Vilma’s home. Sakor’s body was found Friday dumped in Queens; that of Keita was found in Brooklyn.

Browne said various members of Vilma’s family had access to the condominium, located in a gated development. It had been up for sale.

Vilma joined the Saints last season after four years with the Jets. He was the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004.

His agent did not immediately return a call for comment on Tuesday.