Paul Pogba ‘is under police protection in Turin after threats and blackmail attempts’ 15
Paul Pogba ‘is under police protection in Turin after threats and blackmail attempts’ 16
Paul Pogba ‘is under police protection in Turin following threats and blackmail attempts against him by a criminal group’ – with his brother Mathias charged and detained in France for alleged blackmail plot
The Frenchman was the victim of an extortion attempt by a group of criminalsPaul Pogba’s brother, Mathias, has been charged in relation to the offencesThe Juventus star is now reportedly under police protection following a series of events
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Paul Pogba is under police protection in Turin, according to reports in his native France.
The Frenchman was allegedly the victim of a violent criminal racket involving his brother, with the group said to have demanded up to £11.3m (€13m) from the Juventus midfielder.
Since his brother, Mathias, has been charged in relation to the crimes, it has now been reported Le Parisien (via Football-Italia) that Pogba is under police protection in Turin.
The report claims that a member of the player’s entourage has confirmed the presence of police surrounding the player at the moment in the Italian city.
Four other people have also been charged with offences, legal sources told Reuters and Agence France-Presse news agencies.
Earlier this month, Paris prosecutors opened a judicial inquiry into Paul Pogba’s claims that he was the target of blackmail attempts and threats from an organized gang.
Paul Pogba is reportedly under police protection in Turin after threats and blackmail attempts
The 29-year-old Juventus midfielder told prosecutors in Paris that he had been the target of blackmail by childhood friends since March and had paid £85,000 (€100,000) to the group in the spring, legal sources told Reuters this month.
The group are also said to have threatened the player in Manchester in March and in Turin in the summer.
It has also been alleged that Pogba was taken to an apartment in Paris where he was threatened and accused of not giving those closest to him enough money since he became an established professional footballer.
Franceinfo radio claimed the group, armed with MI6 assault rifles, demanded £11m (€13m) from the France midfielder for ‘protection services’ stretching back 13 years.
The midfielder’s brother, Mathias (TV), has been detained and charged in relation to the offences
The saga began last month when Mathias released a video on social media in which he said he would soon reveal a series of ‘big revelations’ about the France international.
He said during the video: ‘The French, English, Italian and Spanish public, as well as my brother’s fans – and even more the French team and Juventus, my brother’s teammates and his sponsors – deserve to know certain things.
‘To make an informed decision about whether he deserves the public’s admiration, respect and love.
‘Whether he deserves his place in the French team and the honor of playing in the World Cup. If he deserves to be a starter at Juventus. If he’s a trustworthy person, every player wants to have him by his side.’
His lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, insisted his client was innocent and told BFMTV, a French television station: “We will contest this decision.”
His brother insists he is innocent and his lawyer has said they will fight the charges
Pogba responded to his brother’s first video by releasing a statement signed by his mother Yeo Moriba and current agent Rafaela Pimenta, as well as his lawyers.
It read: ‘They (the videos) are in addition to threats and blackmail attempts by an organized gang against Paul Pogba.
‘The competent bodies in Italy and France were informed a month ago and there will be no further comment in relation to the ongoing investigation.’
Investigations continue.