It all started as a routine interview for a coaching job in Saudi Arabia: a British agent contacted him and provided him with a plane ticket and a five-star hotel reservation.
His wife, Jane, explained to the Athletic that there were no suspicious signs: "They spent hours discussing it, and the agent answered every question without hesitation. It all seemed normal, like the transfers he'd made in the past from England to the United States."
Once in Morocco, however, the situation escalated. Heath was told to send money to his kidnappers, who reportedly told him, "You realise this isn't going to go as planned. You're going to send us the money now."
The sum demanded was well over six figures. However, Heath and his wife managed to find a way to convince the kidnappers to release him without handing over any money.
For months, the former footballer remained silent, communicating only with a small group of people and the Premier League managers' union, before the FBI intervened in a similar case involving another manager.
The story, incredible but true, was confirmed by the British National Crime Agency: "We are investigating alleged fake groups offering jobs to football professionals, demanding money and threatening violence, without any real contract. The investigation is ongoing and we cannot provide further details."