Paris (AFP) – Former French international striker Djibril Cisse revealed Thursday that he had been placed under formal investigation as part of the ongoing probe into a sex tape blackmail case, his lawyer said.
However, his legal team shrugged off the latest development, describing it as “a non-event”.
“On February 24, 2017, Mr Djibril Cisse was charged with an indictment in connection with the proceedings pending following the complaint lodged by his friend Mr Mathieu Valbuena,” said his lawayer in a statement sent to AFP.
“This decision is a non-event for Mr. Cisse since it is only a consequence of the judgement of the Versailles Court of Appeal of December 16, 2016 and in the absence of Mr. Cisse, who was not a party to the proceedings.”
In December, a court rejected a request from Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema to drop their investigation into the alleged blackmail over a sex tape featuring international teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
Investigators suspect Benzema of acting as an intermediary between the presumed blackmailers — including one of his childhood friends — and Lyon midfielder Valbuena.
Benzema, who has denied all claims of wrongdoing, and three of the other suspects had asked for the case against them to be dropped.
