Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher's family have released a statement after a 'breach of trust'.
Schumacher is one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, having won seven world titles during what was truly an illustrious career.
Having raced for the likes of Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes, the German called time on his career back in 2012.
In December 2013, the sporting world was shaken to its core after news emerged that Schumacher had suffered a serious skiing accident.
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At the time, the former Ferrari driver was airlifted to a hospital, where he was placed in a medically induced coma until June 2014.
Ever since that day, little to zero updates have been given on Schumacher's condition as his family chose to keep the details private.
However, back in December 2024, there were reports that one member of Schumacher's inner circle was threatening to release 'intimate medical images' of the former racer.
As reported by LBC, three men were arrested in Germany in the summer accused of demanding £12.5 million from the Schumacher family in exchange for not releasing personal pictures and videos.
The report stated: "A 53-year-old bouncer, Yilmaz T, was arrested alongside his 30-year-old son in June, and a month later the Schumacher family's former security guard Markus Fritsche, also 53, was arrested too."
Former security guard Fritsche is the alleged mastermind behind the plot to sell private pictures of Schumacher. He was then accused of hiring two accomplices to release as many as 1500 'intimate medical images' to the dark web.
Last week, it was reported by the BBC that Yilmaz T was jailed for three years and his son was given a six-month suspended sentence for aiding and abetting extortion.
Meanwhile, ex-security guard Fritsche was handed a two-year suspended sentence.
Michael Schumacher's family react to blackmail verdict
In response to the verdict, the Schumacher family have reportedly released a statement stating their intention to appeal.
As reported by Planet F1, a statement from a representative of Schumacher's wife, Corinna, read: "We have appealed against what we consider to be the far too lenient sentence for Mr F.
"In my opinion, he was the mastermind behind this. What still shocks me most is the massive breach of trust. He should receive a punishment that deters any potential copycats."
Topics: Ferrari, Formula 1, Michael Schumacher
Marcus Chan