Paul Pogba's brother Mathias charged and detained over alleged extortion plot against the Juventus star
Paul Pogba's older brother Mathias Pogba has been charged and detained over an alleged plot to extort money from the Juventus midfielder.
Four other people have also been placed under investigation for extortion and criminal association in relation to the alleged plot, sources told news agencies Reuters and Agence France-Presse, as reported by the BBC.
Mathias Pogba, 32, was taken into police custody on Wednesday after he was accused of being part of gang attempting to extort money from his brother, former Manchester United midfielder Paul.
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Mathias Pogba's lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, says his client is innocent - telling French broadcaster BFMTV: "We are going to challenge this decision."
French prosecutors opened an investigation this month after France international Pogba told them he was the target of a €13m (£11.3m) extortion plot from an armed gang which included his sibling.
It came after Mathias, 32, released a video vowing to disclose "explosive" information about his younger brother.
The "whole world, as well as my brother's fans, and even more so the French team and Juventus, my brother's team-mates and his sponsors deserve to know certain things," said Mathias Pogba.
Paul Pogba's camp swiftly released a statement in response to the video, claiming the midfielder was being targeted by a blackmail plot.
Pogba, 29, is believed to have told the authorities that he has been subjected to threats and attempted extortion from friends he has known since he was a child, including his brother.
He cited an alleged incident in which he was intimidated by two hooded men carrying assault rifles in a Paris apartment, who demanded €13m from him.
Pogba also told investigators that he has been intimidated several times since then, with the gang allegedly turning up at Juventus' training ground in July.
It is claimed that the group were demanding the fee for "services rendered", claiming that they had protected Pogba for 13 years.
Pogba initially paid the gang €100,000 in a bid to "buy time" and "satisfy" their demands but later decided to notify the police after being approached by Juventus' lawyers following the incident at the club's training centre, according to French publication RMC, as reported by Get French Football News.
Paul Pogba moved from Manchester United to Juventus on a free transfer this summer after a six-year spell at Old Trafford.
His older brother, Mathias, is also a professional footballer, having previously played for Crewe Alexandra, Wrexham, Crawley Town and Partick Thistle in British football.
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Topics: Paul Pogba, Juventus, France, Football
Rory O'Callaghan