German prosecutors have filed charges against three men arrested earlier this year in connection with a blackmail plot aimed at the family of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher. The main suspect, a 53-year-old man from the western city of Wuppertal, allegedly threatened to release private photos and videos and demanded 15 million euros (£12.5 million) from Schumacher’s family. These purportedly included images of the seven-time Formula One champion before and after the 2013 skiing accident in the French Alps, which left him with a severe brain injury. Schumacher, now 55, has not been seen in public since the accident.
The images are believed to have originated from another 53-year-old man from the western town of Wuelfrath, who worked as a security guard for the Schumacher family until 2021. He is suspected of selling the material for a “five-figure” sum and could face a significant jail term on charges of being an accomplice to attempted blackmail and breach of privacy. Prosecutors claim that the main suspect contacted an employee of the Schumacher family multiple times in June this year, demanding the money. He allegedly threatened to release the images on the so-called “dark net” if the payment was not made.
The main suspect faces charges of attempted blackmail, which carries a maximum jail sentence of up to 15 years. However, prosecutors suggest that the punishment could be reduced since the threat was not carried out. The Wuppertal man’s 30-year-old son has also been charged with being an accomplice to blackmail, as his father allegedly asked him to create an untraceable email address. This address was used to send samples of the blackmail material to the Schumacher family. The family notified authorities in Switzerland, where Schumacher has been cared for at his family home since the accident. Swiss investigators traced the plot back to Germany through the phone number used to contact the family.
