L’Équipe report this morning that France international Paul Pogba once again appeared before judges last month to testify as part of the investigation which has seen several individuals charged with armed extortion, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy against the midfielder.
The Juventus man notably recounts the large sums of money he would lend out to those around him, such as €38,000 for an individual known as Boubacar C. in September 2021, in order to buy gold. Pogba was never paid back.
He also recounts the night in March 2022, during which he was reportedly held in an apartment by armed individuals. Pogba’s account of the incident sees Roushdane, a man from his outer circle, bring the individuals into the flat and explain to the then-Manchester United man that they had protected him from another (separate) extortion attempt during Paris’ Fashion Week. Roushdane would add that he was acting as the guarantor in the operation, and that he would be the one to suffer unless Pogba paid up.
Two days later, on the way to the Clairefontaine training centre, Roushdane would tell the midfielder that he had met and befriended the individuals while in prison, and that they offered Pogba protection as the former was “respected“. That same Roushdane, allegedly, told Pogba not to call the police, as “they wouldn’t be able to do anything“.
Speaking to the judges last month, Pogba explained that the individuals were asking for €13m, L’Équipe reprt. He adds that the day after the incident in the apartment, he was concerned about finding the best solution to the situation to save his friends, and went on to tell them that he would pay up. The midfielder would take out €100,000 in cash and hand them to Boubacar C., who was then to hand that money to those extorting Pogba. Although the French international took a selfie with the cash beforehand to keep as proof, Boubacar C. denies having ever received this money.
Regarding the recent arrest of his former childhood friend Adama Camara, Pogba says he considers him to be a victim of the extortion attempt as well, although the midfielder says he is unaware of his exact role in the case. Camara, L’Équipe add, was one of the individuals involved in a shoplifting spree at an Adidas store at the end of March 2022 – which required Pogba to go pay for them, and which investigators see as another instance of pressure on the player to pay.
Pogba also discusses the impact that the entire affair has had on his playing career – “I kept all of this to myself for a long time and then I revealed it. This case has had a big impact on my body, especially on my injuries. I’ve spoken about it with the French national team manager.” The repercussions, he says, have been psychological as well: “I thought it was true, I wanted to defend them. I thought there was a so-called security service there, and that they wanted to hurt my friends and family.”
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin