By SOPHIE CARLIN, TRAINEE REPORTER
Published: 07:17 EDT, 13 October 2025 | Updated: 07:25 EDT, 13 October 2025
Chelsea striker David Fofana has been slapped with eight points and a huge fine after driving an £100,000 Cadillac SUV without insurance or the correct licence.
The striker, 22, of Wandsworth, London, had neither when he was pulled over in the Chessington area of Kingston upon Thames on February 20 last year.
He was driving on a cul-de-sac in an Escalade model from the classic American brand, a large vehicle which is more than 6 ft high.
The young footballer was licenced as a learner driver - but he had no L plates on at the time and was not being supervised by a qualified driver.
The forward, from Cote d'Ivoire, west Africa, made his professional debut for Chelsea on January 8, 2023, in a 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup.
He made two more appearances for the west London club before being loaned out to Bundesliga side Union Berlin and, later, fellow Premier League team Burnley.
Fofana admitted using a motor vehicle without third party insurance and driving a vehicle without a licence.
He was slapped with eight points on his licence and a more than £12,000 fine.
The striker (pictured, playing for Chelsea FC in a Premier League match against Fulham FC on February 3, 2023), 22, had neither insurance nor the correct licence when pulled over in the Chessington area of Kingston upon Thames on February 20 last year
He was driving on a cul-de-sac in an Escalade model (pictured, file photo) from the classic American brand, a large SUV-style vehicle which costs an eye-watering £100,000
But he did not attend the hearing at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court, in the Clapham area of London, in person.
It came after he was loaned in September to newly-promoted Turkish club Fatih Karagümrük where he will stay until the end of this season.
Prosecutor Laura-Ann Harding said: 'At 10.57pm on 20 February 2024, the defendant used a vehicle, namely a Cadillac Escalade, with no insurance covering the use of that vehicle.
'At the same date, time and place, the defendant drove otherwise in accordance with a licence, in that no L plates were displayed and he was not being supervised by an otherwise qualified driver.'
The footballer, who declared his monthly income after tax as £10,000, was fined £12,130.
Bench chair Vikas Aggarwal said: 'I find the matter can be dealt with a fine of £15,000 before plea, brought down to £10,000 after guilty plea.
'There is a surcharge of £2,000 and a prosecution cost of £130, making a total of £12,130. This sum is payable to court within 28 days.'
Fofana began his career in 2019, aged just 16, at Ivorian side Abidjan City before he was loaned to AFAD, also based in the city of Abidjan.
The forward, from Cote d'Ivoire, west Africa, made his professional debut for Chelsea on January 8, 2023 (pictured), in a 4-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup
He made two more appearances for the west London club. Pictured: Fofana after he was signed by Chelsea in January 2023
Fofana has previously been loaned out to Bundesliga side Union Berlin (pictured, playing for the side during a Bundesliga match in December 2023)
He was later loaned out to fellow Premier League team Burnley (pictured, right, with Wilson Odobert of Burnley after scoring for the side in a Premier League match in March last year)
He also played for his national team in a 2-0 loss to Niger in September 2019, before signing a four-year contract with Norwegian club Molde on February 2, 2021.
The player debuted later that month in a 3-3 Europa League tie with German side Hoffenheim, scoring the third goal for his team in the 74th minute.
Once at Chelsea, the striker was loaned to Union Berlin for a season from July 2023 until January last year.
Just two days after returning, it was announced he would join Burnley until the end of the season, returning to Chelsea in May last year.
He was loaned out to newly-promoted Turkish club Goztepe in September last year for the remainder of the season - but was recalled in February this year due to injury.