Mathias Pogba, the brother of World Cup-winning midfielder Paul Pogba, was sentenced by a Paris criminal court on Thursday to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for his involvement in an extortion and kidnapping case.
Having already spent time in custody, Mathias will serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest with electronic monitoring. The ruling aligns with the prosecution’s request, but Mathias’ lawyer has announced plans to appeal.
The trial stemmed from allegations that Mathias and five others attempted to extort Paul Pogba in 2022.
The group reportedly demanded €13 million ($13.6 million) from the French midfielder and allegedly held him at gunpoint in March 2022.
Roushdane K., identified as the mastermind behind the blackmail, was sentenced to eight years in prison. Other accomplices also received jail terms.
Mathias Pogba had faced charges of attempted extortion and criminal conspiracy.
Paul Pogba, who did not attend the trial, revealed during the investigation that he had paid €100,000 ($104,000) to the group, which included his brother.
The court determined that Pogba suffered financial losses of €197,000 ($204,000) and moral damages of €50,000 ($52,000).
It ordered all defendants, except Mathias, to jointly compensate the footballer.
The case gained public attention after Mathias posted social media threats to reveal ‘explosive’ information about his brother, fellow French star Kylian Mbappé, and agent Rafaela Pimenta.
Paul Pogba’s Recent Struggles
Once regarded as one of the world’s best midfielders, Paul Pogba has faced numerous challenges off the field. Earlier this month, Juventus announced the mutual termination of his contract, a decision influenced by his doping ban.
Pogba tested positive for testosterone in August 2023 and was initially handed a four-year suspension. However, the ban was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which cited the unintentional use of a doctor-prescribed supplement. Pogba will be eligible to resume his career in March 2025.
A former record-breaking transfer, Pogba joined Manchester United in 2016 for €105 million ($116 million) but returned to Juventus in 2022 as a free agent.
Injuries limited him to just eight Serie A appearances before his doping case emerged.
The 30-year-old’s career highlights include playing a pivotal role in France’s 2018 World Cup triumph. Despite his recent setbacks, Pogba could make a comeback in professional football after his suspension ends.
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