In a surprising turn of events, Mathias Pogba, the brother of the well-known French footballer Paul Pogba, has been implicated in a kidnapping and extortion case.
On Tuesday, September 10, French courts ruled that six individuals, including Mathias, should be held accountable in this high-profile case. This trial marks the end of two years of thorough investigation into the alleged kidnapping and extortion of former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, which shocked the world in 2022.
The prosecutors assert that five people in close association with Paul Pogba organized a meeting in Paris on March 19, 2022, which concluded in Pogba’s kidnapping. Two unidentified men demanded a whopping 13 million euros ($14 million) from him.
Despite not being physically present at the meeting, Mathias Pogba is under suspicion for pressuring his younger brother into giving up the money. All the accused have refuted their guilt in the case, claiming they were victims of an armed robbery after Paul Pogba refused to provide the money.
Paul Pogba, for his part, reported the issue to Italian prosecutors, claiming he was the victim of a multi-million-euro blackmail scheme. The blackmailers aimed to tarnish his reputation by alleging his involvement with a marabout or witch doctor to cast a spell on fellow French star, Kylian Mbappe, a claim Paul Pogba refutes.
The French authorities commenced their investigation in September 2022. Paul Pogba admitted to “voluntarily” assisting members of the group but later refused to hand over seven million euros to three of them in September 2021.
Mathias Pogba, in September 2022, took to social media to post incriminating videos against Paul, accusing him of deserting their family. Mathias had also published another video in multiple languages, promising “great revelations” about his brother.
He, however, stated during the investigation that the other suspects had manipulated him and that he feared for his and his family’s safety, hoping for a future reconciliation with his younger brother.
