A probe has been launched into potentially fraudulent payments made by Kylian Mbappe to five police officers assigned to protect the French national football team, prosecutors told AFP.
The probe was launched after a tip-off from the French finance ministry's anti-money laundering department, which reported "unusual financial transactions" benefiting the five officers.
"Investigations, which are inherently complex in the case of financial transactions, are underway to establish whether criminal offences have been committed," the prosecutor's office said.
French investigative weekly Le Canard Enchaine reported on Wednesday that the France captain's money was used to make "under the table payments for private services" amounting to 180,300 euros ($209,000).
The Real Madrid forward's entourage issued a statement saying that "everything was done in accordance with the regulations." It added that Mbappe "has always chosen to donate all of his bonuses" for playing for France at international level.
"That's exactly what he did after the 2022 World Cup, with full transparency", the statement continued, saying the money went to charities and security personnel who accompanied the team. | BGNES