On Tuesday, French judges mandated that six individuals face trial in a kidnapping and extortion case linked to French footballer Paul Pogba, with his brother Mathias among the accused, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This trial is the result of a two-year investigation into the alleged kidnapping and extortion of the former Manchester United midfielder, a high-profile case that surfaced in 2022.

Prosecutors in Paris allege that five individuals connected to the World Cup champion meticulously orchestrated a meeting in the suburbs of Paris on March 19, 2022, which culminated in Pogba being abducted and held by two unidentified assailants who demanded 13 million euros (approximately $14 million).

Although Mathias Pogba, a former striker, was not present at the meeting, he is believed to have exerted pressure on his younger brother afterward, with the intent of coercing him into paying the demanded sum, as stated by prosecutors.

All accused individuals have denied any wrongdoing, asserting that they were victims of armed robbers and that they were assaulted after Pogba declined to pay.

However, prosecutors are seeking to bring to trial three childhood friends and two former acquaintances from Pogba's hometown in eastern Paris, who were present during the incident, on charges of extortion, illegal detention, and criminal conspiracy.

Pogba, who currently plays for Juventus and the French national team but is serving a four-year suspension for doping, has lodged a complaint with Italian authorities, alleging he was the target of a multi-million-euro blackmail scheme.

He informed investigators that his extortionists threatened to tarnish his reputation by claiming he sought the assistance of a "marabout," or witch doctor, to cast a spell on fellow French star Kylian Mbappe, a claim Pogba vehemently denies.

An investigation was initiated by French prosecutors in September 2022, conducted collaboratively by the anti-gang and central crime units of the French police.

In the course of the investigation, Paul Pogba claimed that he had "voluntarily" assisted members of the group but later declined to transfer seven million euros to three of them in September 2021. He indicated that he subsequently distanced himself from the group.

In late September 2022, his brother Mathias, who was born in Guinea, shared a series of videos on social media that implicated Pogba and accused him of "abandoning" their family.

These videos followed a previous one in which Mathias had promised "great revelations" about his brother in multiple languages, including French, Italian, English, and Spanish.

During the investigation, Mathias expressed concerns for his safety and that of his family, stating that he had been manipulated by the other suspects and expressing hope for a future reconciliation with his younger brother.