The Versailles Prosecutor’s Office have requested that Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema stands trial for his part in an attempted sex-tape blackmail.
Benzema’s lawyer Sylvain Cormier confirmed the news in an interview with EFE, as reported by Marca, and relates to his alleged involvement in blackmailing his former France international teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
It has been alleged that the Madrid star acted as an intermediary between a group of blackmailers and Valbuena, who appeared in a recorded video of a sexual nature.
Benzema is said to have encouraged Valbuena to pay the demands of the blackmailers, which was refused, and the Madrid striker was subsequently banished from the France international setup by boss Didier Deschamps.
Benzema’s lawyer Cormier has said: “This is no surprise, the Attorney General has been very involved in this matter so we expected him to ask to go to trial, although the accusations are not based on reality.”
Former Liverpool striker Djibril Cissé has also been involved in the investigation with Karim Zenati, a childhood friend of Benzema’s and three other people.
Cissé reportedly failed in his attempts to convince Valbuena so the gang then moved to Benzema, using Zenati as the mutual link.
In December, the Supreme Court in France rejected an appeal from Benzema that evidence against him had been gathered illegally.