Karim Benzema has been found guilty in the Mathieu Valbuena blackmail case. The 33-year-old was not in court, as the decision was being announced. He has been handed a one-year suspended prison sentence and has been fined €75,000.
The Real Madrid striker has denied any wrongdoing in the case. However, the prosecution has said that he blackmailed Valbuena to pay a group of people to keep the explicit tape away from the public. Benzema was reportedly acting as a middleman between the group of people and Valbuena. He was not aware of the details, but was a part of the scheme.
The case has been going on since 2015, and has now reached a verdict, which is 74 pages long. Karim Benzema’s lawyers have stated that they will appeal the decision, “We are quite flabbergasted by this judgment. An appeal is necessary. He will be exonerated at the height of this appeal.”
Both Valbuena and Benzema have had their careers affected as a part of this case. Benzema was exiled from the French national team before being called up for the Euros this past summer. The France Football president Noel Le Graet has stated that Benzema’s France career will not be affected by the decision of the case any further.
Karim Benzema started and scored in the Champions League game against Sheriff Tiraspol last night. His lawyers argued that Valbuena’s case was based on feelings of jealousy against the striker. Although there was no money discussed between the two footballers, Benzema did say he could find someone to ‘manage’ the video.
And for his part in the blackmail scheme, he has been found guilty in court in Versailles.
