Paul Pogba’s brother among five charged by police in extortion case

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Paul Pogba’s older brother has been charged along with four other people in an extortion case against the former Manchester United star, according to reports in France.

Mathias Pogba, 32, was charged following an alleged extortion attempt made against his World Cup-winning brother. It came after Paul, 29, claimed his older sibling and ‘childhood friends’ were part of a group that targeted him in Turin and demanded £11million for ‘protection services’ across 13 years.

Mathias was one of four people taken into police custody on Tuesday and Wednesday, where they were questioned by authorities. The elder Pogba reportedly presented himself to investigators before being placed in police custody.

READ MORE: Paul Pogba's 'special status' could see ex-Man Utd star make World Cup despite injury

He was moved to a court in Paris on Friday night and stood before a court on Saturday, where he was charged along with four other accomplices.

The shocking situation first gathered widespread attention when Mathias threatening to reveal private information about his brother and France teammate Kylian Mbappe in a social media post last month.

In response, a statement was issued on behalf of the Juventus midfielder, his mother Yeo Moriba, and his lawyer Rafaela Pimenta, which read: "Mathias Pogba's recent statements on social media are unfortunately no surprise. They are in addition to threats and group-organised extortion attempts against Paul Pogba.

"The relevant authorities in Italy and France were contacted a month ago and there will be no further comments in relation to the ongoing investigation."

Mathias, who used to play for Wrexham, Crewe Alexandra and Crawley Town in the English lower leagues, then hit back at his brother in another extraordinary post.

He wrote: "My little brother is finally starting to show his true face. Since it was he who started talking, to lie to the police and who brought out the information, you can’t blame me.

"Paul, you really wanted to shut me up completely, to lie and send me to prison, I suspected it. Now it’s true, my version of the facts actually happened and, unlike you, I have enough to prove my words and your lies.

"I’ll tell you again: brother, manipulating people is not good! It’s not about money: you implicated me in spite of myself, I almost died because of you, you left me in a hole and you want to play the innocent one. When everything is said, people will see that there is no bigger coward, bigger traitor and bigger hypocrite than you on this earth."

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