Karim Benzema fined and handed one year suspended prison sentence after guilty sentence
Karim Benzema has been found guilty by a French court of blackmailing his former France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena in a criminal trial and has been given a one-year suspended prison sentence. The Real Madrid forward has also been fined €75,000 for his role in the criminal conspiracy.
Karim Benzema stood trial last month for his role in blackmailing former Lyon and French team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape ahead of a friendly against Armenia five years ago. A group of people had threatened to release a sex tape in which Valbuena appeared unless they were paid the ransom which was demanded and the Real Madrid striker encouraged his former team-mate to pay the group. The 33-year-old was one of five people put on trial last month over an attempt to extort money from Valbuena.
As the events came to light both players lost their national team places and Benzema only recently returned to the France team before the culmination of Euro 2020. Benzema has always denied the allegations and insisted that he was only trying to help his former teammate get rid of the compromising video. On Wednesday the Frenchman along with four other co-defendants were found guilty while the Madrid striker was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and fined €75,000.
Benzema's lawyer has proclaimed that they would appeal the decision in a statement.
"We are quite flabbergasted by this judgment. An appeal is necessary. He will be exonerated at the height of this appeal."