Paul Pogba's brother in French police custody over blackmail probe: Report

PARIS: Mathias Pogba, the brother of France international Paul Pogba, is being temporarily detained and questioned by police, a source close to the investigation said on Wednesday, after the Juventus midfielder said he was the target of extortion attempts and threats.

"Mathias Pogba presented himself to the investigators in the early afternoon and was taken into custody," the source said.

The formal probe follows preliminary investigations and will look into allegations of blackmail by an armed gang, kidnapping and membership of a criminal conspiracy.

Three other people are also in custody, the source said.

Temporary detention in France usually ends after 24 hours.

Paul Pogba, 29, has told the Paris prosecution office that he had been the target of extortion by childhood friends since March and paid €100,000 (US$99,500) to that group in the spring, judicial sources told Reuters this month.

Mathias Pogba denied the allegations in statements posted on social media.