Paul Pogba’s brother sentenced to three-year prison term for shocking £11m blackmail plot against ex-Man Utd ace
PAUL POGBA’S brother has been sentenced to a three-year prison term for his role in an £11million blackmail plot against the former Manchester United star.
Mathias Pogba will not spend time behind bars. Instead he will serve one year of his sentence with an electronic bracelet, with the other two were suspended.
He was also fined £16,500 by a Paris court on Thursday.
Mathias, 34, was first held by police in September 2022 after attempting to extort £11m from his brother.
Ex-Red Devils and Juventus midfielder Pogba, 31, told authorities a group of childhood friends, which included his older sibling, had requested money for “protection services” stretching back 13 years.
A judicial investigation was opened to look into the allegations of extortion with a weapon, kidnapping or kidnapping in an organised gang, and participation in a criminal association.
Mathias turned himself in to authorities investigating the case before being placed in custody.
And he remained in prison until December 2022, with the terms of his release banning him from contacting Pogba and their mother.
Now, the former Crawley Town, Wrexham and Crewe star has been handed a three-year prison sentence.
Mathias was found guilty of attempted extortion, which saw him put pressure on Pogba, his family and business contacts to obtain an £11m payment.
Two years of his sentence have been suspended.
While the remaining one will be served with an electronic tag.
Meanwhile, five other defendants were found guilty of extortion, kidnapping and detention, as well as participating in a criminal association.
They were all childhood friends or acquaintances of French World Cup winner Pogba.
And they have been sentenced to prison terms of up to eight years, while also receiving fines between £16,500 and £33,000.
Pogba is now a free agent after having his Juventus contract ripped up following a positive test result for doping.
He was banned for 18 months in August 2023 and is now looking to secure a new club ahead of his return to football in March.