Prosecutor reveals specifics about the Schumacher extortion scandal
Ex-Formula-1 racer Michael Schumacher's family is under pressure from extortion attempts. Two men, aged 53 and 30, have been nabbed in the German city of Wuppertal, as per a media report. The authorities have confirmed the matter and mentioned that the alleged extortionists are no strangers to them.
It's alleged that some scoundrels aimed to squeeze money out of Michael Schumacher's family. These crooks claimed to have incriminating files that the family might be eager to keep hidden, according to Senior Public Prosecutor Wolf-Tilman Baumert. The investigators are digging deep into this matter, as Baumert announced.
The alleged extortionists apparently wanted a hefty payment in millions, or else, they threatened to spill the beans on the Darknet. They supposedly sent some files to the family as evidence. Baumert initially refrained from disclosing details like the type of files.
The operation's origin was traced to Wuppertal through "technical measures," as per the prosecutor. The two suspects were apprehended on a supermarket parking lot in Groß-Gerau, Hessen on June 19th.
At present, they're being held in custody. "If convicted, they're looking at a maximum sentence of five years in prison," said Senior Public Prosecutor Baumert. Interestingly, the duo has a past record, as they're currently being monitored in another case, according to Baumert. In connection with the investigation, eight locations were scoured, including the homes and workplaces of the accused, and the residences of others in Solingen. Numerous data storage devices were seized and are currently being examined.
Swiss Insight
The investigation was started by the Kassel prosecutor's office. It was instigated by a tip from the criminal investigation authorities in Switzerland. A week ago, the investigators revealed that they had made arrests in relation to an extortion case targeting a well-known figure. The investigators didn't disclose the person's identity at first. The "Bild" was the first to break the news about the Schumacher family being extorted.
This isn't the first instance of the Schumacher family dealing with extortion. In 2017, a 25-year-old man was convicted due to his attempt to extort 900,000 euros from Corinna Schumacher, Michael Schumacher's wife. He'd threatened to harm the children if his demand wasn't met. The man was sentenced to 21 months of probation.
In the email to Corinna Schumacher, the culprit had provided his real account number at a German bank. This information allowed the cops to zero in on him in no time.
Retired since a skiing accident at the end of 2013, Michael Schumacher, the seven-time Formula One World Champion, has been private about his health status subsequent to the severe brain injuries he sustained then. His family keeps his personal matters under wraps.
Read also:
- Ralf Schumacher, Michael Schumacher's younger brother, expressed concern over the ongoing extortion attempts against his family, as he is also based in Wuppertal.
- The public prosecutor's office in Wuppertal is closely monitoring the situation, as the two suspects have a history of blackmail attempts, including a previous case involving Ralf Schumacher.
- The Blackmailers had threatened to publicize sensitive information about Michael Schumacher's health and family on the Darknet, if their demands were not met.
