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According to a source familiar with the case, French bailiffs have seized 230 000 euros ($260 000) from Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema following his conviction last year for participating in a plot to blackmail former France teammate Mathieu Valbuena with a sex film.
In November, a judge sentenced Benzema to a fine, damages, and legal costs for pushing Valbuena to pay his blackmailers, as well as a one-year suspended prison sentence.
The court in the Paris suburb of Versailles claimed at the time that Benzema “implicated himself personally, through deception and lies, to persuade his team-mate to submit to the blackmail.”
Benzema has challenged the decision, which came the same year he made a dramatic comeback to France’s national team after being sidelined in 2015 due to suspicions of blackmail.
Since being recalled by manager Didier Deschamps for the Euro 2020 finals, which have been postponed by a year owing to the coronavirus epidemic, the 34-year-old has scored nine times for France, making him the fifth-highest scorer in the history of Les Bleus.
Benzema’s performances have helped him recover in the eyes of many French fans and coach Didier Deschamps, and the seizure of his money comes less than two weeks after he was named player of the year by France Football magazine.
After Benzema refused to pay up freely, Valbuena’s lawyers moved to the bailiffs to reclaim the money.
The Real Madrid star’s account has been partially frozen since Friday, according to a source close to the situation.
The money should be put in escrow while Benzema’s appeal is heard, according to his lawyers.
“This is the inevitable outcome of the decision to pay right away. We requested a friendly payment deal, which was never reached “Paul-Albert Iweins, Valbuena’s lawyer, remarked.
Vincent Paul
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