A Paris court has sentenced Mathias Pogba, brother of French football star Paul Pogba, to a three-year prison term, with two years suspended, for his role in a high-profile extortion case. Mathias Pogba will serve his one-year sentence under electronic surveillance rather than behind bars.
The court found Mathias Pogba guilty of participating in the attempted extortion of €13 million from his brother in 2022. He was also fined €20,000 for putting pressure on Paul Pogba, his family, and business contacts to obtain the payment.
The case has sent shockwaves through the French football world, as the alleged perpetrators included three childhood friends and Paul Pogba’s own brother. Five other defendants were found guilty of extortion, kidnapping, and detention, as well as participation in a criminal association. They were sentenced to up to eight years in prison, with fines ranging from €20,000 to €40,000.
Roushdane K., considered the mastermind behind the case, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment. Mathias Pogba’s lawyer, Mbeko Tabula, described the ruling as “extremely harsh” and plans to appeal. “He’s obviously in a state of shock,” Tabula said of his client. “From the outset, he has maintained his innocence, saying that he was manipulated, that he was coerced, that he was pressured, that he would never have acted negatively towards his brother.”
The case dates back to March 2022, when Paul Pogba reported being ambushed by childhood friends in Paris. He was held at gunpoint by masked men with assault rifles, demanding €13 million for “services rendered” and blaming him for not helping them financially. Pogba ultimately paid €100,000 to appease his captors.
