Mathias Pogba Receives Suspended Sentence for Extortion of Brother Paul Pogba

Mathias Pogba has been handed a three-year jail term, partly suspended, following convictions related to extortion attempts against his brother. This incident has led to wider discussions about the impact of money and family dynamics in sports.

 

Mathias Pogba, the elder sibling of former Manchester United star Paul Pogba, was sentenced to three years in prison—two years suspended—after being convicted of attempting to extort money from his brother. In addition, Mathias was fined €20,000 (£16,500) but will serve one year under house arrest with an electronic monitoring device, allowing him to bypass actual jail time.

The Paris court also convicted five other co-defendants involved in this extortion case, delivering sentences ranging from four to eight years. The convicts included Roushdane K, who received an eight-year term; Boubacar C with four years (two suspended); Adama C with five years; Mamadou M also with five years (12 months suspended); and Machikour K receiving a four-year sentence (three suspended).

Paul Pogba alleged that in 2022 he was tricked by childhood friends who detained him at gunpoint, demanding a staggering €13m (£10.8m). He acknowledged in a public statement that he paid out €100,000 (£82,600) to these individuals in an attempt to secure his safety.

Following the verdict, Mathias’s attorney, Mbeko Tabula, remarked on the severity of the sentence, indicating a potential appeal would be filed. This legal drama has unfolded amidst Paul Pogba’s reflections on the consequences of wealth within familial relationships, describing it as a potential catalyst for fractures among loved ones. He previously expressed contemplating retirement from football, impacted deeply by the distress caused by the blackmail plot.