Brother of Paul Pogba jailed 3 years in extortion case

Paul Pogba's older brother, Mathias Pogba, has received a three-year sentence, with two years suspended, for attempting to extort the French footballer. Despite the conviction, Mathias will avoid prison time and instead serve one year under electronic monitoring. He was also fined €20,000 (£16,500).

A Paris court handed down these rulings on Thursday. In addition to Mathias, five other individuals were found guilty of extortion and related crimes, and their sentences ranged from four to eight years.

Paul Pogba, 31, revealed that in 2022 he was coerced by childhood friends who held him at gunpoint and demanded €13 million (£10.8 million). While he managed to avoid fulfilling their full demand, he did pay them €100,000 (£82,600).

Mathias Pogba’s lawyer, Mbeko Tabula, described the sentencing as "extremely harsh" and indicated plans to appeal. The other defendants received varying penalties: Roushdane K was sentenced to eight years, Boubacar C to four years (two suspended), Adama C to five years, Mamadou M to five years (with 12 months suspended), and Machikour K to four years (three suspended).

Paul Pogba later admitted in an interview with Al Jazeera that the ordeal had shaken him to the point of considering retiring from football. 

Mathias Pogba, a former professional footballer, played for several clubs, including Partick Thistle, Wrexham, Crewe Alexandra, and Crawley Town, before concluding his career at Belfort in France in 2022.