Former Schumacher employee arrested in connection with blackmail attempt
Two men, aged 30 and 53, were arrested in June, accused of extorting millions from the family of the former Formula-1 racer using private photos. The suspects, who are reportedly a father and son, were arrested by the Hessian Police on a supermarket car park in Groß-Gerau on the 19th of June. They allegedly threatened to publish the images in the Darknet.
The former security guard is now under investigation by the authorities following the analysis of the data carriers seized from the arrested men. According to the Prosecutor's Office, it was determined that there must have been an accomplice "who had access to the private sphere of the Schumacher family."
The 52-year-old was previously employed by the Schumacher family as security personnel. He had also been tasked with digitalizing private images.
The two suspects arrested in June have reportedly confessed to the crime, according to the Prosecutor's Office. The elder suspect claimed to have received the private photos from the former security guard. He was allegedly hired for the extortion with a promised commission.
A warrant for the arrest of the former security guard was issued on a Thursday. During a simultaneous search of his residence, numerous data carriers were seized - including hard drives, USB sticks, and mobile phones. The analysis of these items was ongoing. The investigation is focused on suspicion of attempted extortion as a common enterprise.
The seven-time Formula-1 World Champion Schumacher has been living in seclusion since a skiing accident in late 2013, which left him with severe brain injuries. Little is known about the health status of the 55-year-old following the injuries he sustained then.
The arrests took place in the town of Groß-Gerau, implying a connection to the local police forces. The son and father duo are currently under investigation in Wülfrath, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The Blackmail attempt involved threatening to publish private photos of Michael Schumacher on the Darknet, leveraging his fame as a former Racer in Formula 1.
The Public prosecutor's office is involved in the case, focusing on the suspicion of attempted extortion as a common enterprise, which involves the police and Schumacher's employees.
The two arrested suspects admitted to their involvement, stating that the elder suspect was hired for the extortion with a promised commission, and he received the private photos from the former security guard.
The former security guard, who had digitalized private images while employed by Schumacher, is now under investigation, with a warrant for his arrest issued on a specific day.
The investigation has led to the seizure of numerous data carriers from the former security guard's residence in Wuppertal, such as hard drives, USB sticks, and mobile phones, which are currently being analyzed.
Despite being a seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, Schumacher lives in seclusion following his skiing accident in late 2013, which resulted in severe brain injuries, leaving his health status a topic of public interest and speculation.
