Kylian Mbappé's checks to police officers: an investigation opened in Paris

An investigation has been opened in Paris following a report from Tracfin on checks that may have been irregularly issued by Kylian Mbappé to five CRS officers assigned to protect the French football teams, the prosecutor's office told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Thursday, July 17, confirming information from M6/RTL .

The public prosecutor's office confirmed that it had opened an investigation "following a Tracfin report dating from July 2024, reporting atypical financial transactions for the benefit of five police officers and three private security agents . " "A judicial investigation into the charges of undeclared work and laundering of tax fraud has been entrusted to the DNE [National Investigation Division - General Inspectorate of the National Police], " the public prosecutor's office in the capital said.

The prosecution stated: "The investigations, which are inherently complex given the financial transactions involved, are underway in order to characterize the commission of possible criminal offenses and to identify the perpetrators where appropriate."

Le Canard enchaîné explains in its Wednesday edition that the French team captain's money was allegedly used to "under-the-table pay for private services" provided by a CRS commander and four chief brigadiers, for a total of €180,300. The commander allegedly accompanied him on private trips to Cameroon and Provence. According to the satirical weekly, following Tracfin's report, the IGPN opened an administrative investigation and reported the incident to the Paris prosecutor's office.

The Real Madrid striker's entourage issued a statement saying that "everything was done in compliance with the rules (...) and without any compensation." According to the statement, "since his debut with the French national team, Kylian Mbappé has always chosen to donate all of his selection bonuses."

"This is what he did after the 2022 World Cup, in complete transparency," with associations, but also for "all the security agents who accompanied the French team, eight people, including several CRS officers seconded to the FFF," the French Football Federation. Regarding the police commander, "he was never paid for his presence with Kylian," the press release states.

Le Canard enchaîné reports that a disciplinary hearing is scheduled for the police commander in the fall, and that he must repay salaries deemed unduly paid. Contacted by AFP, his lawyer, Jean-Baptiste Soufron, declined to comment.