A fifth man, indicted on Saturday as part of the investigation in Paris into extortion denounced by footballer Paul Pogba, was remanded in custody on Tuesday, according to a judicial source. He had requested time to prepare his defense before the debate before the judge of freedoms and detention (JLD), which took place on Tuesday. His lawyer declined to comment.
13 million euros claimed in the middle of the French team
He is one of five suspects – Paul Pogba’s brother, Mathias, and four relatives of the Pogba brothers aged 27 to 36 – indicted on Saturday in this incredible case, which has shaken the Blues and more broadly the world of football for two months. before the World Cup in Qatar. It started with a complaint filed on July 16 with the prosecutor’s office in Turin (Italy) by Paul Pogba. The 29-year-old Juventus player denounced extortion attempts between March and July 2022 amounting to 13 million euros.
Five suspects charged
But the facts only came to light with the publication on August 27 of an enigmatic video of Mathias Pogba, himself a 32-year-old professional footballer, who promised “revelations” about his brother. During his police custody, he admitted to being on the initiative, according to a source familiar with the matter.
He was indicted for extortion in an organized gang and participation in a criminal association and remanded in custody. For the facts of kidnapping on the night of March 19 to 20, he was placed under the more favorable status of assisted witness.
Pogba says he was tricked by friends
The four other suspects were indicted in particular for extortion with a weapon, kidnapping in an organized gang and criminal association and placed in pre-trial detention. In front of the investigators, Paul Pogba said he was trapped by childhood friends and two hooded men, armed with assault rifles, accusing him of not having helped them financially.
The star of the France team then claimed to have recognized his brother among the suspects. However, he had estimated, during another hearing, that Mathias was “under pressure” from people wanting to extract money from him.