The name of Franck Ribéry, former French international footballer, appears six times in documents made public as part of the Jeffrey Epstein case, the American businessman accused of sexual crimes. These files, published in early February by the American justice system, reveal alleged links between Epstein and certain personalities and include several mentions of Franck Ribéry.
Mentions without judicial implication
According to the document, Franck Ribéry, 42 years old with 81 caps for the French national team, is cited in passages referring to violent incidents and the presence of a prostitution network. There is no judicial procedure against him in these files. The information is based on a third-party statement, without direct evidence involving the player.
The firm reaction of Ribéry’s entourage
In response to these publications, Franck Ribéry’s entourage immediately denied any involvement. His lawyer, Brusa Carlo Alberto, denounced the “fake news” and announced that he would take all legal measures to protect the footballer’s reputation. He stated: “I will act tomorrow in my capacity as Mr. Ribéry’s lawyer and implement all necessary criminal actions to sanction those responsible for the fake news, which harm the dignity of my client and his family.”
The contentious passages
In the documents, one passage states: “Franck Ribéry tried to hit me while I was in my garden and he had obtained my number and address, police officers surrounded him and took him back to his car”. This information comes from a third party and has never led to legal proceedings against the former player.
The Epstein case adds to the Zahia scandal
The presence of Franck Ribéry’s name adds to the Zahia scandal, which occurred several years earlier. In 2010, the name of Franck Ribéry was associated with the Zahia Dehar case, a young woman who was a minor at the time and was at the center of controversy. The scandal concerned alleged sexual relations with several football personalities, including Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema, while Zahia had not reached the legal age of consent in France.
The French justice system opened an investigation for “use of prostitution of a minor” against the personalities involved. However, after several years of inquiry, Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema were cleared of charges. In 2014, the court dismissed the case without prosecution against the players, considering that they were not aware of Zahia’s minority at the time of the events.
