September 11 – French judges have ordered six men to stand trial in a kidnap and extortion case involving former French World Cup midfield star Paul Pogba, with his brother Mathias one of the accused.
The trial follows a two-year investigation into the alleged treatment of the former Manchester United midfielder in a high-profile case that first emerged in 2022.
The group in question allegedly demanded €13 million from the Juventus and former Manchester United star and repeatedly intimidated him.
They are suspected of having “meticulously prepared” a meeting in the Paris suburbs on March 19, 2022, which ended with Pogba being kidnapped and held by two unidentified men.
Pogba’s brother Mathias – a former striker himself – was not present for that meeting, but is suspected of having put pressure on his younger brother afterwards “with the same determination to get (Paul Pogba) to hand over the money”, according to prosecutors.
All have denied their guilt in the affair, claiming they were “victims” of armed robbers and that they were assaulted after Paul Pogba refused to pay.
But prosecutors called for the three childhood friends and two former acquaintances from the town where Pogba grew up in eastern Paris who were present on the night to be tried for extortion, illegal restraint and criminal conspiracy.
Pogba, currently serving a four-year ban for doping offences though still under contract at Juventus, filed a complaint with Italian prosecutors saying he was the target of a multi-million-euro blackmail plot.
Not so long ago one of the world’s top midfielders, Pogba has made the headlines more often for his antics off the field than his talent on it.
The doping ban was issued earlier this year after he tested positive for testosterone. He has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
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Author : Paul Nicholson
Publish date : 2024-09-11 10:08:09
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Author : soccernews
Publish date : 2024-09-11 11:17:12
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