French footballer Benzema found guilty in sex tape blackmail trial

Striker from Real Madrid and France, was put on trial with other five people

Karim Benzema, a 33-year-old footballer has been found guilty for blackmailing a fellow footballer with a sex tape.

A judge on Wednesday gave the decision according to which Benzema has to face a one-year suspended jail term and has to pay a fine of €75,000 (£63,000; $84,000).

Benzema was not accused of being behind the extortion attempt but rather of conspiring with the suspected blackmailers by putting pressure on footballer Valbuena to pay them off.

The case came up in June 2015, when both the French players were together in a training camp. According to the prosecutor during the training camo, Benzema even put pressure on Valbuena to pay off the blackmailers.

Due to this case, both the players have lost their places on their national teams and fans are heartbroken on this incident.

On the other hand, Benzema has denied the allegation and was not present in the court at the time of the verdict.

Four of Benzema’s co-defendants in the trial were also found guilty. Benzema’s lawyer has said to file an appeal in his conviction.

Speaking to reporters at the courthouse, one of his lawyers, Sylvain Cormier, said he was ‘stunned’ by the sentence which he called “very severe, unfair and unfounded”.

A second lawyer, Antoine Vey, said that Benzema, who did not attend his trial, would “come and explain himself” when the case went to an appeal.

The prosecution had called for Benzema to be given a 10-month suspended sentence.