Real Madrid have released a statement insisting that club president Florentino Perez “fully supports” Karim Benzema after the striker was charged in connection to a sex-tape blackmail plot involving Mathieu Valbuena. Benzema was placed under judicial supervision, meaning he can not meet with the victim or other people charged in the case.
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Benzema has admitted a role in an attempt by three blackmailers to get 150,000 euros ($163,000) from the 31-year-old Lyon midfielder for a leaked sex tape of him. Benzema then mentioned the tape to Valbuena during a national team training session at Clairefontaine in early October, ahead of matches against Armenia and Denmark. But because of the case, France coach Didier Deschamps won’t be able to use both players at the same time while the investigation goes on.
Benzema is claimed to have suggested to Valbuena that he should pay €150,000 to the blackmailers to keep the tape from general circulation.
According to AFP, the star striker admitted to involvement.
“He played no part, I repeat no part, in any blackmail or attempted blackmail”, Cormier told reporters.
Benzema, 27, was summoned to the police station at Versailles shortly before 9am on Wednesday morning.
Benzema has been placed under formal investigation and banned from contacting Valbuena or anyone charged in the case. He has represented his country on 81 occasions and was a key part of the squad for last year’s World Cup in Brazil.
He added that after Benzema’s name appeared in the press linked to the investigation, the player himself informed the investigating judge that he was available for questioning.
Karim Benzema’s lawyer Sylvain Cormier answers questions from journalists Thursday in front of the Versailles courthouse, near Paris, France.
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The Champions League victor faces up to five years in jail if found guilty of the charges. The two players were acquitted in the case that lasted three years.
