The trial of three men accused of trying to blackmail the family of legendary former Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher began on Tuesday in the western German city of Wuppertal, reported dpa.
All three defendants offered statements to the court. One of the men was the alleged leader of the scheme, and faces charges of attempted extortion.
The other two men are charged with aiding and abetting.
The indictment states that the blackmailer had demanded €15 million ($16 million), or else he would publish private photos and videos of the family online.
Schumacher's family have strictly guarded their privacy since 2013, when the famed driver suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident. There have been almost no private photos or videos of the Schumacher family since that date, and none of Michael Schumacher himself.
One of the men charged with aiding and abetting is a 53-year-old who had worked for the Schumacher family as an employee of a security company.
He is alleged to have made copies of private image and video files.
Using the material as leverage, a man of the same age from Wuppertal is said to have called the Schumacher family in Switzerland to demand the payment. His 30-year-old son is said to have helped in the scheme.
The man and his son confessed on Tuesday to blackmailing the family.
"I take responsibility. I did this shit," said the 53-year-old man, who has been accused of leading the extortion attempt.
The man also addressed a lawyer representing Schumacher's wife, Corinna Schumacher: "Please tell the family that I'm really sorry."
The man had a previous criminal record, and was reportedly on probation at the time of his arrest.
Ten witnesses have been summoned for the first day of the trial, including two police officers.
The trial is expected to continue until just before Christmas Eve, but a verdict in the case is not expected until early in January.
- Schumacher
- Blackmail case
- Germany
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
