A criminal gang has been smashed by French police over a large-scale kidnapping and extortion plan that targeted Real Madrid and France star Kylian Mbappé.
The plan was discovered during the investigation of an 18-year-old inmate known as Calment L, or “Lester Z,” who was believed to be running a comprehensive criminal network from his cell via Snapchat.
After an intensive investigation by the anti-gang unit of Paris (BRB), the French prosecutor’s office on Tuesday charged the suspect in Nanterre and sent him to solitary confinement while reviewing whether to charge him over the scheme.
He was deemed as posing a threat to high-profile individuals across France.
After a robbery in April at a luxury watchmaker in Neuilly-sur-Seine, with thieves leaving with high-end watches valued at €150,000, the contents of devices seized from the suspects cell uncovered a ‘hit list’ of 26 high-value targets.
The details on the devices contained information about business figures, high-end jewellers, a popular rap artist, and Mr Mbappé. While there were no actual kidnap attempts on the Real Madrid attacker the intelligence found included plans of home invasions and the use of violence, with ransom demands. Nonetheless, none of the revelations about the threat to Mr Mbappé appears to be hindering his fine form for Real Madrid.
A phenomenal multi-trophy winner last term, the 24-year-old is already well underway in building another career-defining year with Los Blancos.
The latest scheme comes at a time when French judicial authorities are expanding their efforts to dismantle the network’s reach, while scrutiny of the security measures placed around prominent individuals across Europe continues.
