(CNN) Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been implicated in a “kidnapping and torture” investigation in France, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.
This follows allegations that Al-Khelaifi was involved in the transfer of “likely compromising” documents from a French-Algerian citizen, Tayeb Benabderrahmane, who claims to have been tortured in Qatari custody in 2020, according to a complaint submitted by Benabderrahmane’s lawyers to French authorities.
“On January 19, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into acts of kidnapping; sequestration with torture and acts of barbarism in an organized gang; extortion in an organized gang; threats and acts of intimidation and association with criminals. This followed the receipt of two complaints with civil action regarding Mr Benabderrahmane,” the prosecutor’s office told CNN but did not name Al-Khelaifi.
“Mr. Benabderrahmane wishes to emphasize that, contrary to what is often asserted, he has never been implicated in extortion or blackmail against Nasser Al-Khelaifi,” Ruiz and Vejnar added.
