HIBAPRESS – Agencies
The General Directorate of the French National Police decided to take disciplinary action against a police officer who was in charge of securing the French national football team, by retiring him early, following his receipt of a sum of money from Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé.
According to circulating data, the police officer in question, who was seconded to the French Football Federation, received a donation from Mbappé in June 2023, valued at approximately 60,300 euros, an amount that is included in the rewards the player received after his participation in the 2022 World Cup. The financial transfer drew the attention of the banking institution, which, in July 2024, notified the financial intelligence unit of the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, which resulted in the opening of a judicial investigation into the case. The data indicates that the police officer did not declare this donation to his administration, which was considered a breach of professional duties. The person in question had previously appeared before a disciplinary board last October without a penalty being issued against him at the time, before the file was re-examined later, and the decision to retire him early was taken on December 20. For his part, the police officer’s lawyer confirmed that the donation was legal and was made via a bank check, considering that it did not require declaration, indicating his intention to appeal the decision before the administrative court. In the same context, the data revealed that four other senior officers also benefited from similar amounts of money, amounting to 30,000 euros each, bringing the total donations to about 180,300 euros. People close to the player confirm that these amounts were provided without any consideration and with full respect for the laws in force. The judicial investigation is still ongoing, especially regarding suspicions of undeclared work and possible money laundering associated with the case.
