The older brother of Paul Pogba, former Manchester United midfielder, has been sentenced to a three year jail term, two years suspended, after being convicted of attempting to extort the French footballer.
Mathias Pogba, who was also fined €20,000 (£16,500), will avoid time behind bars and instead serve one year wearing an electronic bracelet.
Five other men were found guilty of extortion and other crimes, and received sentences between four and eight years in a Paris court on Thursday.
Paul Pogba, 31, said he had been “tricked by childhood friends” who held him at gunpoint in 2022 and demanded €13m (£10.8m). He said he paid them €100,000 (£82,600).
Mathias Pogba’s lawyer Mbeko Tabula told RMC Sport the sentencing was “extremely harsh” and said “I think we will appeal”.
The other five defendants were handed the following sentences: Roushdane K received eight years, Boubacar C four years, two suspended, Adama C five years, Mamadou M five years, 12 months suspended, and Machikour K four years, three suspended.
Last year, Paul Pogba told Al Jazeera that he had considered retiring from football because of the extortion attempt.
“When there is money you have to be careful,” he said. “Money changes people. It can break up a family. It can create a war”.
Former professional footballer Mathias Pogba played for clubs including Partick Thistle, Wrexham, Crewe Alexandra and Crawley Town. His last club was Belfort in France, leaving them in 2022.
