Kylian Mbappe.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe, the captain of the French national team, has become the subject of a formal investigation into potentially fraudulent payments made to five police officers assigned to protect the team, the public prosecutor's office confirmed on Thursday, as per a report by AFP.
The probe was initiated following a tip-off from the French finance ministry's anti-money laundering unit, which flagged "unusual financial transactions" benefitting the five officers. In a statement, the public prosecutor's office said that investigations "are underway in order to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed."
The development follows a report from the investigative weekly Le Canard Enchaine, which alleged that 180,300 euros ($209,000) of the star's money was used to "pay under the table for private services."
The Real Madrid striker’s entourage swiftly issued a statement, asserting that "everything was done in compliance with the rules." The statement elaborated that Mbappe has "always chosen to donate in full his bonuses" from international duty, noting that after the 2022 World Cup, this money was transparently distributed to charitable organizations and the security personnel who accompanied the team.
Mbappe was also in a legal soup last year when he was reportedly accused of rape.
He is reportedly the subject of an investigation over an incident in a Stockholm hotel on October 10, 2024.
Yamal controversy
The fresh controversy surrounding the Real Madrid forward comes at a time when young Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal is under investigation by the Spanish government for hiring dwarves as entertainers for his 18th birthday party.
The young winger, who helped Spain clinch the European Championship last year, celebrated his coming of age on Saturday with a star-studded jamboree that included celebrity guests from the music industry such as Bizarrap, Bad Gyal or Quevedo, as well as many of his Barca teammates and social media influencers.
The Association for People with Achondroplasia and Other Skeletal Dysplasias (ADEE) said in a statement that the use of people with dwarfism as spectacle at Yamal's party perpetuated stereotypes, fuelled discrimination and undermined the dignity and rights of people with disabilities.
It cited Spain's disability rights law, which prohibits shows or recreational activities that use people with disabilities in a way that provokes ridicule or undermines their dignity.
"It's unacceptable that in the 21st century, people with dwarfism are still used for entertainment at private parties, particularly when public figures are involved," said ADEE President Carolina Puente.
(With inputs from Reuters)