In a dramatic legal case that exposed a bitter family feud, Mathias Pogba, brother of football star Paul Pogba, has been sentenced to three years in prison—two of which are suspended—after being found guilty of attempted extortion.
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Mathias, 34, was one of six defendants accused of targeting his younger brother in a scheme to extort €13 million (£10.7 million).
The trial revealed shocking details, including Paul’s account of being kidnapped and held at gunpoint by two masked men in March 2022.
They demanded he pay for “protection services.” Despite initially handing over €100,000 (£82,500), Paul Pogba faced continued harassment at multiple locations, including the French national team’s training centre, his Manchester home, and Juventus’s facilities in Italy.
Mathias denied involvement in the kidnapping but was found guilty of pressuring Paul and his family to ensure the payment.
His lawyer, Maître Mbeko Tabula, criticized the ruling as overly harsh, stating, “Mathias has always proclaimed his innocence and claims he was manipulated and coerced. We intend to appeal.”
The case also implicated five other individuals, all of whom were childhood friends or acquaintances of Paul Pogba.
They received sentences ranging from four to eight years for crimes including extortion, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy.
The harshest penalty went to Roushdane K., sentenced to eight years in prison and fined €20,000 (£16,500).
The controversy adds to a challenging year for Paul Pogba. The 2018 World Cup winner, currently without a club after leaving Juventus, was banned from football for a doping violation.
His suspension, initially set at four years, was reduced to 18 months following an appeal, allowing him to return to the sport in March 2024.
Reflecting on the turmoil, Paul Pogba said earlier this year, “Money changes people. It can destroy a family, start a war.”
As he weighs offers from Marseille, the Saudi Pro League, and MLS side Inter Miami, Pogba faces an uncertain but potentially redemptive chapter in his career.
