Mathias Pogba, the older brother of football star Paul Pogba, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his involvement in a high-profile extortion case.
The court ruling, handed down on Thursday in Paris, saw Mathias receiving a two-year suspended sentence and one year to be served with an electronic bracelet rather than in jail.
He was convicted for orchestrating a plot to extort his brother, Paul.
The Extortion Scheme Unfolds
The extortion case stems from an incident in March 2022, when Paul Pogba, who was later cleared to return to football after a reduced ban for a doping violation, filed a complaint after he was kidnapped and robbed.
Two masked men allegedly held him hostage, demanding €13 million for “protection services.”
It emerged that a group of five individuals close to the French World Cup winner had meticulously arranged the abduction.
The group’s plan was to intimidate Paul into paying up, claiming that he owed them for his success and global fame, according to reports from Le Parisien.
Mathias Pogba was reportedly not present during the kidnapping itself but was later implicated in the plot.
He spent three months in prison as investigators examined his role in the extortion scheme.
Over the course of the investigation, Paul told authorities that Mathias and the group had attempted to tarnish his reputation by making false accusations, including bizarre claims that Paul had used a witch doctor to curse his teammate Kylian Mbappé.
Mathias also accused Paul of abandoning his family, all of which Paul vehemently denied.
The Legal Consequences
As the investigation unfolded, Paul revealed that he had paid €100,000 to the group as part of their demands.
This revelation helped to further solidify the case against the extortion ring.
After two years of legal proceedings, Mathias, along with five co-defendants, was brought to trial.
Mathias was convicted of organized extortion and attempted extortion, and in addition to his prison sentence, he was fined €20,000.
The trial, which took place at the Paris Court, lasted for a week, but the charge of kidnapping was ultimately dropped.
Reports suggest that Mathias’s legal team plans to appeal the verdict.
What’s Next for the Pogba Brothers?
As Mathias prepares to serve his sentence, questions remain about the ongoing relationship between him and his brother Paul.
With the extortion trial behind them, all eyes are now on how both brothers will move forward in their personal and professional lives.
Will this case have long-term consequences for their family dynamic and Paul’s career? Only time will tell.