The latest juicy soccer story: Benzema charged with attempted blackmail
Soccer, as a sport, has some kind of preternatural gift for producing juicy stories. There's the endless string of corruption and fraud stories, of course. The tales of recklessness and debauchery – do a search for "Mario Balotelli" and "fireworks" or "Antonio Cassano" and "700 women" for a few choice examples.
But few are quite so sordid as the one emanating from France about Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema assisting in the attempt to extort some $163,000 out of tiny, 5-foot-4 Olympique Lyon winger and France teammate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape.
Benzema, who was reportedly dating Rihanna this summer and was acquitted of soliciting an underage prostitute last year, was arrested for questioning on Wednesday. He was held in custody overnight. According to Benzema's lawyer, he volunteered to be questioned.
On Thursday, the 27-year-old star striker, who is currently injured, was charged with "complicity in attempted blackmail and participation in a criminal association planning an offense punishable by at least five years imprisonment," according to the French prosecutor.
So what's the story?
Piecing together myriad European reports, mostly leaning on quotes from a source to Agence France-Presse, it appears three men – hangers-on who move through the entourage of several French soccer players – have a sex tape of Valbuena recorded on a phone in their possession. One of them knows a childhood friend of Benzema's who reached out to the soccer star. Benzema then allegedly agreed to speak to Valbuena on their behalf and pass on their demands for payment of some 150,000 euros in exchange for the tape. Valbuena and Benzema spoke at a French national team camp in October.
It's unclear when authorities were alerted about Benzema's involvement. The three unnamed men have been under investigation since October. Former France striker Djibril Cissé was also questioned and immediately released. The case seems to center around whether Benzema merely gave Valbuena friendly advice or if he acted as a negotiator for the blackmailers, which would make him complicit. If proven guilty of the latter, he faces up to five years in prison.
Benzema reportedly acknowledged his involvement in the scheme to French authorities. His lawyer says he merely wants to clear his name of any wrongdoing.
Benzema and Valbuena, who are both French national team regulars, were left out of the squad called up for upcoming friendlies with Germany and England. Les Bleus continue to prepare for Euro 2016, which will be played on their home soil.
To be continued …
Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.
