Paul Pogba’s brother convicted over attempt to extort French footballer
Mathias Pogba Sentenced in Extortion Case Against Brother Paul Pogba
A Paris court on Thursday handed Mathias Pogba, the older brother of French footballer Paul Pogba, a three-year prison sentence with two years suspended for his role in a high-profile extortion attempt. The verdict allows Mathias to serve his one-year jail term at home under electronic monitoring instead of incarceration.
In addition to the prison sentence, Mathias Pogba was fined €20,000 for his involvement in an attempt to extort €13 million ($13.5 million) from his younger brother in 2022. The court found Mathias had applied pressure on Paul Pogba, his family, and his business associates in an effort to secure the payment.
Mathias’ lawyer, Mbeko Tabula, criticized the ruling as “severely harsh” and announced plans to appeal. “He’s in a state of shock,” Tabula said, maintaining that Mathias had been coerced and manipulated and would never have intentionally acted against his brother.
This case adds to a tumultuous period for Paul Pogba, who has faced numerous challenges since France’s 2018 World Cup triumph, where he scored in the final against Croatia. Following a string of injuries and inconsistent performances, Pogba left Manchester United in 2022 and returned to Juventus. However, his struggles continued, culminating in a doping suspension reduced to 18 months on appeal. While eligible to return to play in March next year, Juventus terminated his contract last month.
The extortion scandal, involving six men, shocked the French football community. Among the accused were three of Paul Pogba’s childhood friends and his own brother. The court convicted the five other defendants of extortion, unlawful detention, and criminal gang involvement, sentencing them to up to eight years in prison and imposing fines ranging from €20,000 to €40,000.
The court also acknowledged that Paul Pogba suffered financial losses of €197,000 and psychological harm valued at €50,000. While the prosecution did not uphold the kidnapping charges, the court found Roushdane K., deemed the mastermind of the scheme, guilty of extortion and sentenced him to eight years in prison.
The case first came to light when Mathias Pogba shared a series of videos on social media in August 2022, promising to reveal damaging information about his younger brother. In one clip, Mathias accused Paul of using a witch doctor to cast a spell on French teammate Kylian Mbappé, a claim Paul Pogba vehemently denied.
According to Paul Pogba, the ordeal began in March 2022 when childhood friends lured him into a trap. He alleged that he was held at gunpoint by two armed men who demanded €13 million as repayment for “services rendered” and accused him of failing to support them financially. Paul said he ultimately paid €100,000 but refused to meet their full demands.
The verdict brings a dramatic chapter to a close, though the legal battles and personal fallout for the Pogba family are far from over.
