On April 18, 2010, the French television channel M6 reported that four members of the French national team were under investigation regarding alleged involvement with a prostitution ring operating in a Paris nightclub. Initially, it was claimed that some of the women involved could have been underage. The players named were Franck Ribéry, Sidney Govou, Hatem Ben Arfa, and Karim Benzema. Benzema was alleged to have had relations with an escort identified as Zahia Dehar, who was 16 at the time. He denied the allegations through his lawyer. On July 20, he was formally questioned and indicted for "solicitation of a minor prostitute." In November 2011, prosecutors recommended dropping the case against Benzema and Ribéry, arguing that the players were unaware of Dehar’s age. Nonetheless, the case proceeded to a court hearing scheduled for June 2013.
On November 4, 2015, Benzema was arrested by French police in connection with an alleged blackmail scheme involving his national teammate Mathieu Valbuena. The investigation, which focused on a purported attempt to extort Valbuena over a compromising video, drew widespread attention. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls remarked that prominent athletes carry the burden of exemplary behavior due to their public influence and the inspiration they provide to youth.
Return to the previous page| Birth Date: | 19 Dec, 1987 |
| Age: | 32 yrs |
| Occupations: | Association football player |
| Citizenship: | France Algeria |
| Birth Place: | Lyon |
| Gender: | Male |
| Description: | French association football player of Algerian descent |
| Net Worth 2020: | 40 million |
| Net Worth 2021: | 70 million |
