Karim Benzema Bags One Year Jail Sentence For Blackmailing One Of His Teammates

France and Real Madrid forward, Karim Benzema has been handed a one-year suspended jail sentence and €75,000 fine after being found guilty in a sex tape blackmail case.

Benzema was found guilty of being involved in an attempt in 2015 to blackmail France teammate Mathieu Valbuena, with a sex tape.

The allegations against Benzema, which date to 2015, led to him being cast out of the French squad for five years before being brought back into the fold in May in time to play in Euro 2020.

The case involved Benzema and Four other men — Axel Angot, Mustapha Zouaoui, Younes Houass and Karim Zenati — who were also found guilty, receiving prison sentences ranging from a conditional 18 months to an obligatory two and a half years.

The prosecutors said Angot discovered the sexually explicit video on Valbuena’s phone after he had been asked to transfer its contents to a new device.

Angot and a third defendant, Zouaoui, tried to use the video to extort money from Valbuena, who was then playing for Lyon and France.

They enlisted another defendant, Houass, before eventually turning to Zenati, a childhood friend of Benzema’s, who prosecutors said recruited the forward as a “middleman.” Valbuena contacted the police, who began a sting operation.

Benzema spoke to Valbuena about the video at a France training camp in October 2015. Benzema denied any wrongdoing, saying he was trying to help resolve the situation and warning his teammate to “be careful,” describing the blackmailers as “serious criminals.”

However, police, prosecutors and the court interpreted Benzema’s offer of assistance as abetting the blackmail scheme.

Benzema wasn’t present during the three-day trial, however, his lawyer confirmed that Benzema will appeal against the Judge’s verdict, citing professional reasons for his absence.

Benzema returned to the France national team earlier this year, playing at Euro 2020 and starring in their UEFA Nations League final win. He is the top scorer in LaLiga so far this season with 10 goals.

French federation president Noel Le Great has already said Benzema would be allowed to keep playing with France even if found guilty.