Overview

• Paul Pogba was allegedly kidnapped and threatened by two armed men in March 2022, demanding €13 million for so-called 'protection services.'
• Five childhood friends and Pogba's older brother, Mathias Pogba, are on trial in Paris for charges including extortion, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy.
• Mathias Pogba is accused of pressuring his brother to pay the demanded sum, including threats to release a compromising video.
• Financial transactions made by Paul Pogba to some of the accused are claimed by the footballer to be unrelated financial support, not extortion payments.
• The case has caused significant personal and professional turmoil for Paul Pogba, whose football career is currently paused due to a doping suspension until March 2025.