File picture of Michael Schumacher© AFP
A father and son pleaded responsible in a German courtroom Tuesday over a plot to blackmail the household of Michael Schumacher by threatening to launch photographs of the Formula One legend. The males from Wuppertal in western Germany made the admission on the opening of their trial within the metropolis, a courtroom spokeswoman stated. The males, recognized solely as Yilmaz T. and Daniel L., allegedly threatened to launch personal pictures and movies of Schumacher and demanded 15 million euros ($15.7 million) from his household. These purportedly included photographs of the seven-time Formula One champion earlier than and after a 2013 snowboarding accident, which left him with a critical mind damage.
Schumacher, 55, has not been seen in public since.
A 3rd man, who’s accused of supplying the pictures to the opposite two defendants, additionally went on trial for his alleged half within the plot however made no act of contrition.
The man, recognized as Markus F. from the western German city of Wuelfrath, labored as a safety guard on the Schumacher household residence in Switzerland till 2021.
Prosecutors accuse the suspect of promoting photographs of Schumacher, acquired throughout his work, to the daddy and son for a “five-figure” sum.
According to prosecutors, Yilmaz T. rang an worker of the Schumacher household a number of instances in June this 12 months to demand cash.
The worker demanded proof of the photographs, which was delivered from a brand new electronic mail handle, stated to have been arrange by the suspected blackmailer’s son.
The courtroom has scheduled a complete of 5 hearings till mid-February.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Topics talked about on this article