The investigations into the extortion denounced by the star of the French football team and Juventus Turin Paul Pogba were entrusted, Friday, September 2, to two investigating judges of the Paris court, announced the Paris prosecutor. . Laure Beccuau specifies in a press release:
“Following the initial investigations, the Paris public prosecutor’s office today opened a judicial investigation against X counts of extortion with a weapon in an organized gang, kidnapping or kidnapping with release before the seventh day in an organized gang to prepare or facilitate the commission of a crime or misdemeanor and participation in a criminal association with a view to committing a crime. »
Following a complaint filed by Paul Pogba on July 16 with the Turin public prosecutor’s office, a preliminary investigation was opened by the Paris public prosecutor’s office on August 3. “counts of organized gang extortion and attempted organized gang extortion and participation in a criminal conspiracy to commit a crime”, says the prosecutor. This investigation focused “on various facts of which Mr. Pogba would have been the victim between March and July 2022”according to the press release.
The player, at the heart of an incredible affair which is shaking the world of French football two and a half months before the World Cup in Qatar, has denounced extortion attempts amounting to millions of euros.
“His blackmailers wanted to discredit him”
The investigation was entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight against Organized Crime (OCLCO) of the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ). According to a source familiar with the matter, in addition to Paul Pogba, several people were heard, including the player’s mother.
In this case, the name of French football star Kylian Mbappé also appears, reluctantly: Paul Pogba explained to investigators that “His blackmailers wanted to discredit him by broadcasting messages in which he allegedly asked a marabout from his family circle to cast a spell” to the PSG striker, which the Juve player denies.
According to press information confirmed by a source familiar with the matter, Paul Pogba told investigators that he had been intimidated several times in Manchester, his ex-club, and up to the Juventus training center, where he returned this summer. . Among the suspects, he claims to have recognized his older brother Mathias, himself a professional footballer.