Mbappe promises defamation lawsuit after name linked to rape allegation in Sweden, says he ‘did nothing wrong’

PARIS, Oct 16 – Kylian Mbappe was “shocked” to see his name linked to a rape investigation in Sweden and the Real Madrid and France star will launch legal action for defamation, his lawyer told AFP yesterday.

Mbappe’s lawyer Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard insisted the France captain was “at ease” because “he did nothing wrong” after Swedish media reports said the player was a suspect following a visit with friends in Stockholm.

A Swedish prosecutor said yesterday that a rape investigation had been opened without mentioning Mbappe.

Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen, as well as public broadcaster SVT, reported that Mbappe was the target of the investigation, following his two-day visit to the city last week.

Speaking to AFP, Canu-Bernard said that Mbappe “asked my office not to leave things as they are because it is impossible to allow yourself to be slandered and defamed in this way”.

“That’s why we’re going to file a defamation complaint.”

The Swedish Public Prosecutor’s Office said the alleged rape took place in a hotel on October 10, but did not identify the suspect and said no further information could be shared at this time.

“In response to media reports of a suspected rape in Stockholm, the prosecutor can confirm that a criminal complaint has been submitted to the police,” a statement said.

According to a document presented to the Stockholm district court analyzed by AFP, the alleged crime took place at the luxurious Bank Hotel, in the center of the Swedish capital.

The names of the author and suspect were hidden in the document.

Expressen on Monday identified Mbappe as the suspect, citing anonymous sources, while Aftonbladet and SVT said yesterday they had also obtained information confirming Mbappe was the suspect.

Expressen said Mbappe was “reasonably suspected” of rape and sexual assault, the lesser of the two degrees of suspicion in the Swedish legal system.

According to the Prosecuting Authority, the highest degree of suspicion, “probable cause,” is generally a prerequisite for a suspect to be detained in custody prior to a formal charge.

Lawyer Petra Lund, who represents the plaintiff, told AFP she “could not make any comment at this stage”.

Evidence seized

The French star was not called up for his country’s final round of UEFA Nations League games and therefore visited the Swedish capital with a group of people last Wednesday.

According to Aftonbladet, they had dinner at a restaurant before going to a nightclub. Mbappe and the group left Sweden on Friday.

Aftonbladet said the report was filed on Saturday after the alleged victim sought medical attention.

Expressen reported that police seized some clothing as evidence, saying it consisted of women’s underwear, black pants and a black blouse.

Photographs showed police leaving the Bank Hotel with brown bags on Monday.

Mbappe claimed in an X post on Monday that there was a link between the report and the hearing before a French league committee on Tuesday into his bitter dispute with his former club Paris Saint-Germain over what he says it is 55 million euros ($60 million) in unpaid wages.

“FAKE NEWS!!!! It is becoming so predictable, on the eve of the hearing, as if by chance”, he wrote.

After the hearing, a source close to Qatari-owned PSG said the league would make its decision on October 25.

Mbappe’s entourage said in a statement to AFP on Monday that the accusations were “completely false and irresponsible” and added that “all necessary legal actions will be taken to reestablish the truth.”

Stellar career

Mbappé signed for Real Madrid in June after seven years at PSG, and has so far avoided scandals in his private life.

The striker, who is known for carefully managing his image through a close network of family, lawyers and spokespeople, became one of the world’s highest-paid players after a stellar career that saw him emerge as a teenager at Monaco .

Mbappe, 19, joined Pelé as the only teenagers to score in a World Cup final as France beat Croatia 4-2 to win the 2018 edition and he was named World Cup’s Best Young Player. tournament.

Four years later, in Qatar, he scored three goals in the final against Argentina, but ended up on the losing team, with Lionel Messi’s team winning in a penalty shootout. -AFP