France: Karim Benzema facing charges in Valbuena sex tape scandal

It is alarming to read of such things in the press. He proclaims his innocence. It's really wholehearted, his friendship with Mathieu Valbuena. He too suffered the same attempts, he took no part, and I mean no part in blackmail or attempted blackmail." 'I will shed light on all this,' says the judge. Again, this is only the beginning of the case." French footballer Karim Benzema was released after a night in police custody in Versailles, Thursday. The player is facing charges over an alleged blackmail plot against fellow French international Mathieu Valbuena. Benzema appeared before a judge after being held in police custody overnight, but was indicted by the investigating judge earlier Thursday. Benzema's lawyer, Sylvain Cormier, released a statement saying "Karim Benzema never admitted being guilty. It is alarming to read of such things in the press. He proclaims his innocence." Cormier went on to say "he was indicted by the judge who has notified him that he was a suspect. This is in no way a conviction." Last month, another French international and former Liverpool player, Djibril Cisse, was also questioned and released in regard to Valbuena's sex-tape extortion attempt. Three other men have been arrested, one of whom is reportedly close to Valbuena. The blackmailers reportedly told police, who were posing as Valbuena's business associate, that the video would be released ahead of the 2016 European Championship in France if their demands were not met.