Two people close to Benzema acquitted of attempted extortion
Two friends of Benzema were acquitted after an alleged case of extortion involving a former friend of the French footballer, who he owed money.
It all began in Autumn 2018. Karim Benzema tried to get back 50,000 euros which he had given as a loan to Leo D'Souza, a middle man and former friend of the Madrid footballer. Therefore, D'Souza, Benzema and his assistant, Yamma Aghrib, agreed to hold a video call to clear up the situation.
It all went wrong when D'Souza, who said that the Moroccan customs agency had seized the money he owed, reported an attempt of extorsion and kidnapping by Aghrib and a childhood friend in Smaine Tabennehas. That saw them both handed in to the police in 2019.
Two years later, 'L'Equipe' reports that the judge of the Parisian court in charge of resolving the case has acquitted the two close friends of Benzema and they will not stand trial.
The case has once again seen the French striker hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. It is not the first time he has been in trouble off the field, but this time the ending is positive.