Mathias Pogba, brother of football star Paul Pogba, was sentenced to three years in prison, two suspended, for extortion and kidnapping. The case involved demands for €13 million, threats, and gunpoint coercion. Paul Pogba, facing his challenges, including a doping ban, is set to resume his career in 2025.
Mathias Pogba, brother of former France midfielder Paul Pogba, was sentenced by a Paris court to three years in prison, with two years suspended, for his involvement in a 2022 extortion and kidnapping scheme.
The case revealed that Mathias, alongside five accomplices, demanded €13 million from Paul Pogba while holding him at gunpoint. The group, comprising childhood friends, coerced Pogba for money, claiming entitlement to his financial success as a football star. Mathias had already served time in detention, and his remaining sentence will be under house arrest with electronic monitoring. His lawyer announced plans to appeal.
Roushdane K., identified as the mastermind, was handed an eight-year prison sentence, while the other co-defendants received varying terms. All except Mathias were ordered to pay €247,000 in economic and moral damages to Paul Pogba.
The case drew public attention after Mathias threatened to release damaging information about his brother and other figures in the football world, including Kylian Mbappé and agent Rafaela Pimenta.
Paul Pogba, once regarded as a top-tier midfielder, has faced off-field controversies, including a recent doping ban. His contract with Juventus was mutually terminated, leaving him clueless. Despite the setbacks, Pogba is expected to resume his career in March 2025.
