Real Madrid ahead Karim Benzema will stand trial exterior Paris beginning Wednesday after being accused of attempting to blackmail former France teammate Mathieu Valbuena over a intercourse tape.
Benzema is on trial for complicity in tried blackmail. Four different folks, together with one of many participant’s childhood pals, have been charged with tried blackmail.
The prices are punishable by as much as 5 years in jail and a 75,000 euro ($87,400) superb. Benzema has denied wrongdoing.
During questioning, the 33-year-old Benzema acknowledged he had served as an middleman between one of many alleged blackmailers, his good friend Karim Zenati, and Valbuena, who now performs for Greek membership Olympiakos.
But Benzema additionally advised investigators that he took no half in blackmail and that his involvement was restricted to easily telling Valbuena, out of friendship, in regards to the existence of the intercourse tape.
It is unclear whether or not Benzema will likely be bodily current on the trial from Wednesday by way of Friday in Versailles. Real Madrid was enjoying at Shakhtar Donetsk within the Champions League on Tuesday and Benzema traveled and educated together with his staff in Kiev forward of the match.
Valbuena first filed a police criticism in June 2015. He mentioned that whereas on worldwide obligation for France, at its coaching base in Clairefontaine, he had been telephoned by an nameless caller who spoke a couple of intercourse tape and advised him that they might come to association. The caller advised Valbuena to designate a trusted middleman to work out the main points.
With a police detective posing as a negotiator, the investigation initially recognized three folks: Axel Angot, Mustapha Zouaoui and Younes Houass, all now standing trial for tried blackmail. Their communications have been wire-tapped.
Benzema was subsequently introduced in by Zenati, a good friend who has earlier drug and theft convictions and had been launched from jail in 2013.
When each have been on worldwide obligation in October 2015, Benzema requested Valbuena into his room at Clairefontaine for a dialog that led Valbuena to conclude that his France teammate was concerned with the alleged blackmailers and performing as their middleman.
Police say they heard Benzema inform Zenati in a wire-tapped name that night that Valbuena “isn’t taking us seriously.” Benzema later advised the investigating Justice of the Peace that he had merely wished to assist the midfielder.
Benzema and Zenati have been each handed preliminary prices in November 2015, becoming a member of Angot, Zouaoui and Houass below formal investigation.
Benzema was then dropped from France’s nationwide staff by coach Didier Deschamps, lacking the 2016 European Championship and the 2018 World Cup, which was gained by France.
Deschamps recalled Benzema in May forward of the delayed Euro 2020 match and has fielded him 11 instances up to now in 2021.
Valbuena, now 37, hasn’t performed for France since Oct. 11, 2015, when he got here on as an alternative in a pleasant match towards Denmark.
