Six men including the brother of France international Paul Pogba were sentenced to prison terms of between three and eight years on Thursday after being convicted of extortion attempts targeting the footballer.

A Paris court on Thursday sentenced a brother of France midfielder Paul Pogba to a three-year prison term, with two years suspended, after convicting him in a high-profile extortion case.

Mathias Pogba will be able to serve his one-year sentence with an electronic bracelet rather than behind bars.

The court also fined Paul Pogba’s brother 20,000 euros for participating in the attempted extortion of €13 million ($13.5 million) from Pogba in 2022, and for putting pressure on the player, his family and his business contacts to obtain the payment.

The case involving six men linked to Paul Pogba has shocked the French football world because the alleged perpetrators included three childhood friends and Pogba’s own brother.

The five other defendants were found guilty of extortion, kidnapping and detention, as well as participation in a criminal association, and sentenced to up to eight years in prison, as well as fines of between €20,000 and €40,000.

Roushdane K., considered to be the mastermind of the case and the only person to appear in custody, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment.

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