German prosecutors have given an update on the arrests made earlier this year after an attempt to blackmail F1 legend Michael Schumacher and his family, as three men have now been charged.
According to a report from The Guardian, the primary suspect in this case is a 53-year-old man. Authorities accuse him of threatening to release deeply private photos and videos of Schumacher, both before and after his life-changing 2013 accident.
He demanded a ransom of €15 million from the Schumacher family, warning that the images would be leaked onto the dark web if the family did not comply. Although the threat was not followed through, the charges of attempted blackmail still carry a potential jail sentence of up to 15 years, which may be reduced given his failure to execute the threat.
Another individual implicated in this scheme is a former security guard of the Schumacher family until 2021. He is suspected of being the source of the private photos and videos, allegedly selling these materials for a “five-figure” sum. He faces significant prison time on charges of being an accomplice to attempted blackmail and for breaching the family’s privacy.
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Completing the trio of accused is the chief suspect’s 30-year-old son. His role in the plot involved creating an untraceable email address used to send samples of the incriminating material to the family, thereby facilitating the blackmail attempt. He is charged as an accomplice to blackmail.
The incident reportedly began in June 2023, when the chief suspect made several calls to a Schumacher family employee, demanding the ransom in exchange for the promise of keeping the sensitive material private.
Alarmed by these threats, the Schumacher family promptly alerted Swiss authorities, who then traced the phone number used for the demands back to Germany. This investigation ultimately led to the identification and arrest of the three men involved.
The public has not seen Schumacher since the accident in 2013, a decision driven by his family’s strong desire to maintain privacy during his recovery. The seven-time champion’s family has given rare updates on his health since. One of the last updates the public has received was from close friend and former Ferrari team boss Jean Todt who explained, as quoted by Independent:
“Michael is here, so I don’t miss him.
“[But he] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him.
“His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him. That’s all there is to say.
“Unfortunately, fate struck him ten years ago. He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula 1.
“[He is in the] best of hands… surrounded by people who love him.”
