Football: Benzema sentenced to one year in prison in the sextape case

Karim Benzema.

FRANCK FIFE AFP / File

Text by: Farid Achache Follow

2 min

On Wednesday November 24, the Versailles Criminal Court found the Real Madrid striker guilty of complicity in the offense of attempted blackmail.

The French international who plays at Real Madrid was sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros.

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Six years after the start of the Mathieu Valbuena sextape affair and nearly a month after his criminal trial, Karim Benzema was sentenced to a one-year suspended prison sentence and a € 75,000 fine.

The Real Madrid striker, who did not attend the three-day trial last month due to his club's sports agenda, according to his lawyers, was also not present when the deliberation was read.

Tonight, Real play in the evening a Champions League match on the lawn of Sheriff Tiraspol, in Moldova.

For his alleged involvement in the sextape affair, an intimate video blackmail against footballer Mathieu Valbuena in 2015, the prosecution had requested against him 10 months in prison and a 75,000 euros fine.

During the indictment, the prosecutors had recalled the duty of exemplarity of the French star, "

".

" 

 " the court explained.

The Blues striker's lawyers immediately announced that their client was appealing the judgment.

Against the four other defendants in this case which shook the world of French football, the correctional court of Versailles pronounced sentences ranging from eighteen months of imprisonment suspended to two and a half years in prison.

The conviction should not call into question the return of Benzema to the France team, he who had been sidelined several years before returning during the last Euro in the summer of 2021.  

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