Pogba affair: “This is not the trial of Paul Pogba”, the call to order from the civil party

More than two years after the affair, the Pogba trial opens in Paris this Tuesday, November 26 in order to shed light on the events which took place on the evening of March 19, 2022 in Seine-et-Marne, when the world champion Paul Pogba found himself facing armed men demanding a large sum of money from him. The hearing, which is due to last a week before the sixteenth chamber of the criminal court, will do damage and Paul Pogba has already launched hostilities in an interview a few days ago. “Money changes people, it can destroy your family.”

What happened during this famous evening in March 2022

On March 19, 2022, Paul Pogba is in France for a gathering of the France team. The international is heading to Roissy-en-Brie (Seine-et-Marne) to visit his childhood friends. Paul Pogba dines with the family of Boubacar C. and Adama C., who are today on the dock. When the dinner ends, the former Manchester United player leaves the place with three other “childhood friends” to go to an apartment rented by Adama C. in Montevrain. It is in this accommodation that Paul Pogba finds himself face to face with his five relatives. According to the file, between 00:46 and 06:13, all the protagonists, including Paul Pogba, turned off their telephone lines and handed them over to Roushdane K..

A “lively discussion” then begins, again according to the court file. The player’s five friends reproached him several times and claimed to have been “let down”. They believe they should be paid for this service because Paul Pogba was “protected”.

Two hooded men, armed and equipped with bulletproof vests, then enter the room. They are presented by Roushdane K. as “his protectors” against “bandits” who want to extort him or kidnap him. The two men then point their guns at the French international before demanding the handing over of 3 million euros in cash and 10 million euros by transfer. “Under threat, the player agrees to pay,” indicates the court file. Released in the evening, Paul Pogba returned to the Le Meurice hotel, in the center of Paris. The next morning, he contacted his bank to make a transfer of 11 million euros which was refused. He receives several pressures for weeks.

The role of Mathias Pogba

According to the investigation, although his brother was not present during this famous evening, he would have exerted pressure against Paul Pogba in order to obtain payment of the sum claimed. On September 23, 2022, videos were published on social networks to encourage the player to pay the requested amount. Before investigators, Mathias Pogba claimed that he had no intention of putting pressure on his younger brother.

What the accused risk

Presumed innocent, Mathias Pogba risks seven years in prison and several thousand euros in fines. Five defendants are also indicted in this case on the following counts

• “organized gang extortion committed with a weapon”
• “arrest, kidnapping, sequestration or arbitrary detention of a hostage to facilitate a crime or offense, followed by release before the seventh day to prepare or facilitate a crime or offense committed by an organized gang”
• “participation in a criminal association with a view to preparing a crime”.

Already under judicial supervision, the defendants risk up to ten years in prison and a fine of 75,000 to 150,000 euros.