Mathias Pogba has turned himself in and has been taken into police custody concerning an extortion attempt on his younger brother Paul Pogba, according to Le Monde.
He presented himself to the police on Wednesday as part of an investigation into extortion with a weapon in an organised gang’.
Three other men have also been arrested and taken into police custody.
The publication contacted Mathias Pogba’s lawyer, Richard Arbib, but he did not respond. Rafaela Pimenta, Paul Pogba’s lawyer, also did not reply.
Since the Paris Prosecutors opened an official investigation on September 2, this is the first significant development.
They are investigating ‘charges of extortion with a weapon in an organised gang, kidnapping or sequestration with release before the seventh day in an organised gang to prepare or facilitate the commission of a crime or an offence and participation in a criminal association with a view to committing a crime’.
Paul Pogba is reportedly the subject of a $13 million blackmail attempt by a group of childhood friends. He believes the group includes his elder brother.
Mathias brought the matter to light when he claimed that he would reveal things about Paul, Kylian Mbappe and Rafaela Pimenta.
The 32-year-old released a bizarre video published in four languages on Instagram saying (via GFFN): “I’m announcing that I’ll soon be making big revelations about my brother, Paul Pogba, his lawyer, his friend and his confidante Rafaela Pimenta, who Paul calls his second mother. As if one wasn’t enough.
“For those who don’t know me, I am a professional footballer and the big brother of world champion Paul, who has joined Juventus after a disappointing spell at Manchester United.
“I am making this video today because I think that the French, Spanish, English, and Italian people, as well as fans of my brother, Juventus, the French national team, his teammates, and his sponsors, deserve to know certain things so they can decide in full knowledge of the facts whether he really deserves the respect, admiration, and love of the public.
“If he deserves his place in the French squad. Whether he deserves to play in the World Cup. If he deserves to start for Juventus, if he is a person worthy of our confidence and whether he is worthy of being a role model for the youth.
“I will also tell you very important things about Kylian Mbappe, the star of world football. There will be numerous witnesses to confirm my remarks. All of this could be explosive and make a huge noise.”
Paul’s lawyers retorted by claiming it was a blackmail attempt. However, Mathias went back to social media to claim that the Juventus midfielder was spinning the case.
Mathias then claimed that Paul used a witch doctor against Kylian Mbappe and the same to treat his injuries.
The use of a witch doctor is an act that goes against Pogba’s belief as a Muslim. Paul denied the first claim but admitted to using a witch doctor for his injury woes.
He told investigators that armed men threatened and intimidated him. They confronted him in Manchester, Turin and Paris. They asked him to pay them for years of discreetly protecting him.
On one of the blackmail attempts, he recognised his brother Mathias.
French prosecutors have since opened an investigation into the possible blackmail attempt, and their verdict is awaited.
