Michael Schumacher’s ex-security guard facing jail over £12million blackmail plot
Michael Schumacher’s former security officer has been accused of stealing personal photos in an alleged blackmail plot. According to prosecutors, Markus Fritsche, 53, attempted to extort (€15million) £12m from the Schumacher family having been let go from his job after eight years of work. Michael suffered a serious accident skiing in 2013 and now wife Corinna has allegedly been involved in an extortion plotAFP Schumacher, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion and sporting icon, has not been seen in public since a serious skiing accident in 2013 and is kept under medical care in his family’s home in Switzerland. The Daily Mail reports that Fritsche was hired 18 months before the accident, but was kept on for such a long period as Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, trusted his loyalty. However, upon being let go, it’s alleged that things turned sour and a plot to extort a huge fee from the family was enacted. Prosecutors claim that Fritsche worked with his friend Yilmaz Tozturkan and his son Lins to take around 1500 images and 200 videos as well as personal medical notes. The items were allegedly put on four USB sticks and two hard drives with Fritsche’s plan to then release them onto the internet unless the £12m fee was paid. It’s also claimed that the plot was enacted on June 3 when Tozturkan called the family on a withheld number to inform them he had the photos and made threats that he would release them. Lins then sent images to the family on June 11, telling them they had a month to send the £12m in two payments. However, a week later on June 19 Tozturkan and his son Lins were arrested by police in Germany. Tozturkan has been charged with extortion and Lins has been accused of aiding and abetting extortion. Tozturkan is in custody while Lins and Fritsche are both on bail. Corinna also had to deal with a court case regarding threats to son MickGetty A trial into the plot will take place next month in Wuppertal, Germany. The city’s public prosecutor, Wolf-Tilman Baumert announced in September that an investigation had been completed three months after the initial arrests of the three men involved. Prosecutors are requesting at least four years in jail for the defendants. In 2017 a man was given a 21-month suspension sentence for demanding €900,000 from Corinna Schumacher, saying that he would ‘harm’ her son Mick. Despite not being photographed or seen publicly since his 2013 accident, Schumacher did make an appearance at his daughter’s wedding earlier this year. Gina Schumacher wed Iain Bethke in Mallorca, Spain, and her father was reportedly in attendance. Security was paramount at the event, with phones confiscated upon entry.
Michael Schumacher’s former security officer has been accused of stealing personal photos in an alleged blackmail plot.
According to prosecutors, Markus Fritsche, 53, attempted to extort (€15million) £12m from the Schumacher family having been let go from his job after eight years of work.
Schumacher, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion and sporting icon, has not been seen in public since a serious skiing accident in 2013 and is kept under medical care in his family’s home in Switzerland.
The Daily Mail reports that Fritsche was hired 18 months before the accident, but was kept on for such a long period as Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, trusted his loyalty.
However, upon being let go, it’s alleged that things turned sour and a plot to extort a huge fee from the family was enacted.
Prosecutors claim that Fritsche worked with his friend Yilmaz Tozturkan and his son Lins to take around 1500 images and 200 videos as well as personal medical notes.
The items were allegedly put on four USB sticks and two hard drives with Fritsche’s plan to then release them onto the internet unless the £12m fee was paid.
It’s also claimed that the plot was enacted on June 3 when Tozturkan called the family on a withheld number to inform them he had the photos and made threats that he would release them.
Lins then sent images to the family on June 11, telling them they had a month to send the £12m in two payments.
However, a week later on June 19 Tozturkan and his son Lins were arrested by police in Germany.
Tozturkan has been charged with extortion and Lins has been accused of aiding and abetting extortion.
Tozturkan is in custody while Lins and Fritsche are both on bail.
A trial into the plot will take place next month in Wuppertal, Germany. The city’s public prosecutor, Wolf-Tilman Baumert announced in September that an investigation had been completed three months after the initial arrests of the three men involved.
Prosecutors are requesting at least four years in jail for the defendants.
In 2017 a man was given a 21-month suspension sentence for demanding €900,000 from Corinna Schumacher, saying that he would ‘harm’ her son Mick.
Despite not being photographed or seen publicly since his 2013 accident, Schumacher did make an appearance at his daughter’s wedding earlier this year.
Gina Schumacher wed Iain Bethke in Mallorca, Spain, and her father was reportedly in attendance.
Security was paramount at the event, with phones confiscated upon entry.
