French Footballer Paul Pogba’s Brother Among Six Convicted in High-Profile Extortion Scandal

In a landmark legal verdict, six individuals, including Mathias Pogba—the elder sibling of renowned French footballer Paul Pogba—received prison sentences ranging from three to eight years. The Paris Criminal Court handed down the ruling on Thursday, convicting the group for their roles in an audacious extortion scheme targeting the Juventus midfielder.

Mathias Pogba, implicated in coercing his brother and close family to extract a staggering €13 million ($13.5 million), was sentenced to three years in prison, with two of those years suspended. Notably, the court granted him the option to serve the remaining year under house arrest, monitored by an electronic bracelet.

Additionally, he was levied a €20,000 fine for his complicity in the attempted extortion, which involved not only his brother but also extended to business affiliates and confidants of the football star.

The scandal, which has sent shockwaves through the French football community, unearthed the disturbing involvement of Mathias Pogba alongside three of Paul Pogba’s childhood acquaintances. What began as a familial and social bond spiraled into criminal collusion, leaving the sports fraternity aghast.

Among the convicted, Roushdane K.—deemed the ringleader of the operation and the sole individual held in pretrial detention—was sentenced to eight years of incarceration.

Other sentences include:

• Boubacar C.: Four years, with two years suspended
• Machikour K.: Four years, with three years suspended
• Mamadou M.: Five years, with one year suspended
• Adama C.: Five years

These individuals were found guilty of a litany of offenses, including extortion, abduction, unlawful detention, and active participation in a criminal consortium. Fines ranging between €20,000 and €40,000 were also imposed.

Mathias Pogba’s attorney, Mbeko Tabula, described the judgment as disproportionately severe and confirmed intentions to appeal.
"He is profoundly dismayed by the verdict," Tabula stated, reiterating his client’s consistent claim of being a manipulated pawn. Mathias has argued that external pressures and coercion influenced his actions and that he bore no malice toward his younger brother.

The extortion saga gained public attention when Mathias Pogba released a cryptic video on social media in August 2022, hinting at explosive allegations against Paul Pogba. This revelation prompted an investigation that unraveled a sinister plot rooted in betrayal and financial greed.

Paul Pogba recounted to investigators a harrowing experience from March 2022. Lured by trusted childhood friends from his gritty Parisian neighborhood, the midfielder was allegedly ambushed, held at gunpoint by masked men wielding assault rifles, and threatened with demands of €13 million for purported “services rendered.”

Ultimately, Pogba complied minimally, paying a mere €100,000—a decision that likely averted greater personal and financial harm.

This chilling saga underscores the complexities of fame, wealth, and loyalty, casting a shadow over the illustrious career of Paul Pogba. While justice has been served, the case leaves a bitter reminder of the treacherous ties that can fester within close-knit circles.