France on Friday launched a legal investigation into claims by World Cup winner Paul Pogba that he’s the sufferer of a multi-million euro blackmail plot by gangsters involving his brother, the Paris prosecutor stated.
Two investigating magistrates have been appointed to steer the probe, prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated in an announcement.
Primarily based on the findings of a preliminary investigation launched final month it’s going to study allegations — for now in opposition to individuals unknown — together with blackmail by an armed gang, kidnapping and membership of a legal conspiracy, she stated, confirming a weekend assertion from a judicial supply.
Pogba’s allegations got here after his brother Mathias revealed a weird video on-line — in 4 languages (French, Italian, English and Spanish) — promising “nice revelations” concerning the Juventus star.
In accordance with two sources near the Pogba household contacted by AFP, giant sums of cash are being demanded from Paul Pogba if he needs to keep away from the dissemination of allegedly compromising movies.
France Information reported that Paul Pogba instructed investigators he had been threatened by “childhood pals and two hooded males armed with assault rifles”.
They’re demanding 13 million euros ($13 million) from him for “companies offered”, it stated.
Pogba defined to investigators that his blackmailers needed to discredit him by claiming he requested a marabout (holy man) to solid a spell on the Paris Saint-Germain and France star Kylian Mbappe, which Pogba denies.
The investigation is dealt with collectively by the French police’s anti-gang and central crime items.
A number of individuals, together with Pogba’s mom, have already been interviewed by police, a judiciary supply instructed AFP.
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