Paul Pogba’s brother has been sentenced to three years in an extortion case

The older brother of former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended, after being convicted of attempting to extort the French footballer.

Mathias Pogba, who was also fined €20,000 (£16,500), will avoid a prison sentence and instead serve a year while wearing an electronic bracelet.

Five other men were found guilty of extortion and other crimes and received prison sentences of between four and eight years in a Paris court on Thursday.

Paul Pogba, 31, said he was ‘cheated by childhood friends’ who held him at gunpoint in 2022 and demanded €13 million. He said he paid them €100,000 (£82,600).

Mathias Pogba’s lawyer Mbeko Tabula told RMC Sport that the conviction was “extremely harsh” and said: “I think we will appeal”.

The remaining five defendants were given the following sentences: Roushdane K received eight years, Boubacar C four years, two suspended, Adama C five years, Mamadou M five years, twelve months suspended, and Machikour K four years, three of which were conditional.

Last year, Paul Pogba told Al Jazeera that he had considered retiring from football due to the extortion attempt.

“When there is money, you have to be careful,” he said. “Money changes people. It can break up a family. It can start a war.”

Former professional footballer Mathias Pogba played for clubs such as Partick Thistle, Wrexham, Crewe Alexandra and Crawley Town. His last club was Belfort in France and left them in 2022.