Paul Pogba Blackmail Trial Opens In Paris Amid Career Challenges
The blackmail trial involving Paul Pogba, the French football star and former Juventus midfielder, began on Tuesday at the Paris criminal court. Six individuals, including Pogba’s elder brother, Mathias, and three of his childhood friends, stand accused of extortion, blackmail, and kidnapping in a case that has stunned the football community.
The defendants allegedly attempted to extort €13 million ($13.5 million) from Pogba, accusing him of failing to provide financial support. Pogba testified that in March 2022, he was ambushed by childhood acquaintances in a Paris suburb where he grew up. Two hooded men armed with assault rifles reportedly held him at gunpoint, demanding payment for “services rendered.”
Pogba claimed to have paid €100,000 to the group and settled a €57,000 bill they incurred at an Adidas store on Paris’ Champs-Élysées. He also alleged they pressured him at various locations, including France’s national team training facility and Juventus’ training ground.
Mathias Pogba, who was not present during the alleged kidnapping, faces charges of attempted extortion. In 2022, he posted videos on social media threatening to reveal “explosive” details about his younger brother, including bizarre claims that Paul Pogba had used witchcraft against fellow French footballer Kylian Mbappé.
Paul Pogba’s representatives labeled the videos as part of a broader campaign of threats and intimidation. Criminal complaints were filed in France and Italy in mid-2022.
Lawyers for the accused deny wrongdoing, arguing their relationship with Pogba was friendly and supportive. Some claim they were also victims of the unidentified armed men allegedly involved in the extortion attempt.
However, a police report described the group as a “criminal team” intent on extorting Pogba, who had cut them off financially earlier that year.
The trial comes as Pogba faces career challenges. Juventus recently terminated his contract following a doping suspension that bars him from playing until March 2025.
Five defendants are charged with extortion, kidnapping, and forming a criminal gang, while Mathias Pogba faces charges of attempted extortion. Lawyers for Paul Pogba and the accused have refrained from commenting extensively ahead of the trial’s outcome.
The trial is expected to draw significant attention as it unfolds, casting a spotlight on both the personal and professional struggles of the World Cup-winning midfielder.
