On Tuesday, September 10, French judges respectfully ordered six men to stand trial in a case involving the kidnapping and extortion of renowned French footballer Paul Pogba. Among the accused individuals is Mathias, Paul Pogba’s own brother.
The trial follows a two-year investigation into the alleged extortion and kidnapping of the former Manchester United midfielder in a high-profile case that emerged in 2022.
Pogba’s Brother, Mathias To Stand Trial In Kidnapping Case
Five individuals closely associated with the World Cup winner are suspected of meticulously organizing a meeting in the suburbs of Paris on March 19, 2022. Regrettably, this meeting resulted in an unfortunate incident where Mr. Pogba was allegedly abducted and held captive by two unidentified individuals. These individuals reportedly demanded a substantial sum of 13 million euros ($14 million) from Pogba, according to the Paris prosecutors.
Mathias Pogba, the elder brother of Paul Pogba and a former striker himself, was not present during the meeting in question. However, prosecutors suspect that he may have exerted pressure on his younger brother afterward, displaying a resolute determination to persuade Paul Pogba to release the money.
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 filed a complaint with Italian prosecutors saying he was the target of a multi-million-euro blackmail plot.
The 31-year-old told investigators that his blackmailers threatened to discredit him by claiming he asked a “marabout”, or witch doctor, to cast a spell on fellow France star Kylian Mbappe, which Pogba denies.
French prosecutors launched an investigation in September 2022 which was handled jointly by the French police’s anti-gang and central crime units.
During the investigation, Paul Pogba stated that he had “voluntarily” helped members of the group, but then refused to hand seven million euros over to three of them in September 2021. He subsequently kept his distance from the group, he said.
In late September 2022, his brother Mathias posted a series of videos on social media incriminating Pogba and accusing him of having “abandoned” his family.
The videos came a month after Mathias Pogba had put another video online in French, Italian, English and Spanish promising “great revelations” about his brother.
During the investigation, Mathias said he had been afraid for his safety and that of his family, saying he had been manipulated by the other suspects, and that he hoped he would soon be reconciled with his younger brother.