Footballer Kylian Mbappé at centre of abduction plot in France
Kylian Mbappe was on a list of 26 people who were being targeted for kidnapping plots that intended to go after wealthy individuals in France.
An 18-year-old named Clément L was charged alongside an accomplice on 21 August over organised robbery, and authorities investigating found connections with plots to abduct various wealthy people.
Le Parisien reports that on 25 April three men pretending to be delivering a package arrived at a watchmaker's home but he was suspicious of them and didn't open the door, they fled and abandoned an empty box.
On 4 May the watchmaker's shop Nos Montres in Paris was robbed by two men with handguns who stole €150,000 worth of watches and then fled on scooters, though one was arrested half-an-hour later after crashing their scooter into a truck.
Advert
The investigation led them to the alleged ringleader Clément L, who had his phone seized and police found 26 addresses on it including a Chinese businessman, a Turkish meat seller and Kylian Mbappe.
Investigators believe they had been planning to target and abduct wealthy individuals, with Real Madrid and France footballer Mbappe being the highest profile figure on the list of wealthy targets.
Police found that instructions had been sent via Snapchat and Clément was using the pseudonym 'Lester Z', and on 19 August he was arrested as he was leaving a court in Bobigny.
He was due to be tried there for pimping but the case had been postponed and Clément had been released to be placed under supervision.
Investigators found plastic ties and five iPhones among his possessions, and a second suspect was arrested.
He's suspected of owning the car that took three men to the watchmaker's house, and during questioning he confessed to the accusations against him, but said that he wasn't the mastermind behind the crimes and kidnapping plots.
Instead he claimed to be a middleman between the gang's leader and the criminals who carry out their plots.
"I know the facts are serious," Clément said in a statement today.
"But I’m in solitary confinement, surrounded by lunatics and terrorists, and I don’t think that’s going to make me any better.
"I really want to become a chef; it’s been my dream since I was a little boy."
You can probably tell that the alleged plots to abduct people in France were never carried out, as unless you're talking about his semi-final performance at the World Cup, Kylian Mbappe has rather clearly not gone missing.
It is up to investigators to work out how far each alleged kidnapping plot went.
Topics: World News, Crime, Sport, Football
Joe Harker