Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe was among 26 high-profile figures targeted in a kidnapping plot by a French gang, French authorities revealed.
The plot was allegedly orchestrated from inside a prison cell by an 18-year-old inmate named Clement L., who communicated with accomplices using contraband mobile phones.
French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the gang targeted a range of 26 wealthy individuals across France. The list included footballers, rappers, a Chinese businessman, jewellers, and a Turkish meat trader. Prison guards uncovered the operation after searching the cell of Clement L.
The suspect allegedly sent orders from his cell using two mobile phones on Snapchat under the alias Lester Z.
A source close to the case told Le Parisien: "Two phones were seized by prison guards, and their contents were highly revealing." The source added: "He also wanted to go after a rapper and the footballer Kylian Mbappe."
Background on the targets and suspect
Mbappe is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club Real Madrid and captains the France national team. Real Madrid, based in Madrid, Spain, competes in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. Le Parisien is a major daily newspaper published in Paris, France. Snapchat is a multimedia messaging application popular for sharing media.
Clement L. was already in pre-trial detention for pimping and organised robbery. Pre-trial detention is the legal process of holding an accused person in custody while awaiting trial. The teenager had previously been jailed for armed robbery after being identified as one of two men involved in an attack on a watchmaker in Paris.
Investigation and custody status
When questioned by investigators, the teenager claimed he was not the mastermind of the plot and requested to be let out of solitary confinement. He revealed he had dropped out of school while studying for a vocational qualification in cooking, but wants to resume studying to become a chef.
Despite his request, judicial authorities ruled that Clement L. must remain in solitary confinement while the investigation into the kidnapping plot continues.
