ROME — Professional footballers are frequent targets for
blackmailers, says
Paul Pogba’s agent, with the France star embroiled in an
alleged extortion plot.
اضافة اعلان
In August, Pogba’s elder brother Mathias published a
bizarre video online promising “great revelations” about the Juventus
midfielder, who according to sources is being targeted by a criminal gang.
And Rafaela Pimenta, the heir to deceased superagent
Mino Raiola’s empire, told Italian daily Tuttosport that players are often
targeted by people hoping to extort money from very rich sportsmen.
“Being extorted or living under threat is not an
uncommon problem with footballers. They’re threatened because they are very
exposed,”
Pimenta said in an interview published on Monday. “I’ve seen it all,
especially blackmail. The players are scared to flag these things up because
they’re worried about their image or they’re ashamed. They keep quiet and live
under incredible stress.”
Sources close to the Pogba family have told AFP that
money is being demanded from Paul Pogba if he wants to avoid the dissemination
of allegedly compromising videos.
Mathias Pogba, 32, was charged last month along with
four other people, all close to the World Cup winner who filed a complaint with
Turin prosecutors in July which said he was being blackmailed for 13 million
euros.
Paul Pogba told investigators that his blackmailers
wanted to discredit him by claiming he asked a marabout (holy man) to cast a
spell on Paris Saint-Germain and France star
Kylian Mbappe, which Pogba denies.
“When Paul finally asked for help, his situation
improved and he realized that there is a solution,” added Pimenta. “Everything
is in the hands of the lawyers. Paul has done everything he could do.”
On the field,
Pogba’s hopes of playing for France at the World Cup in Qatar next month hang
in the balance after a knee injury. He had a surgery that was described as
“successful” earlier this month.
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