Mathias Pogba, the brother of World Cup winner Paul Pogba, was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison by a Paris criminal court for extortion and kidnapping. Two years of the sentence were suspended, and he will serve the remainder under house arrest with electronic monitoring.
Pogba, who had already been in detention, faces a sentence that aligns with the prosecution’s request. His lawyer announced plans to appeal the ruling.
The trial was held in the absence of Paul Pogba, the former Manchester United and Juventus star, who was not present in court. The case centered on an investigation into allegations that Mathias Pogba and five accomplices attempted to extort 13 million euros ($13.6 million) from the French midfielder in 2022.
Mathias Pogba, along with the five others, was accused of demanding the money from his brother after holding him at gunpoint in March 2022. The defendants allegedly intimidated Paul Pogba, claiming he owed them financial support following his rise to international fame. They faced charges of extortion, abduction, confinement, and criminal conspiracy.
Roushdane K., believed to be the ringleader of the extortion scheme, was sentenced to eight years in prison. The other co-defendants received various jail terms.
The court also found that Paul Pogba had suffered financial losses of 197,000 euros ($204,000) and moral damages of 50,000 euros ($52,000). All the defendants, except Mathias Pogba, were ordered to jointly pay this sum to the former Juventus player.
During the investigation, Paul Pogba revealed he had paid 100,000 euros ($104,000) to the group, which included his brother.
The case became public in 2022 after Mathias Pogba posted a series of threats on social media, promising to release “explosive” revelations about his brother, French soccer star Kylian Mbappé, and Paul Pogba’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta.
Mathias Pogba, who also pursued a soccer career, played for lower-tier clubs in Europe.
