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The alleged instigator of the blackmail plot involving Michael Schumacher reportedly threatened to reveal “private” photographs of the critically injured icon, according to information presented in a German court.
A former security guard for the Schumacher family is said to have sought “vengeance” after being terminated by them earlier this year.
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Markus F, 53, is said to have felt wronged after his termination and allegedly partnered with two additional men to con the wealthy family out of millions.
German authorities have been leading investigations, with the trio now facing court proceedings at Wuppertal District Court near Dortmund this week.
A member of the Schumacher household provided testimony, stating she discovered emails between Markus and the family where he demanded compensation to keep the intimate photos confidential.
Heike Puschmann recounted that the men had images of Michael in his wheelchair, threatening to expose them on the dark web.
read more in blackmail plot
She testified in court: “Emails were sent in which he stated that if he did not receive his payment, he would go after the Schumacher family.”
Puschmann, an employee of the Schumacher family, noted she could not remember the exact amount of money demanded in the emails.
However, she believed it was less than three months’ salary for the former security guard at that time.
Markus has thus far remained silent in court, merely acknowledging his name and address.
The intimate photographs are said to be part of a larger collection of 1,500 confidential files that are believed to have been stolen from the Schumacher household.
The sensitive data was saved to four USB drives and two hard drives shortly before Markus’s dismissal, as per the prosecution’s claims.
Emails were written in which he said if he didn’t get his pay he would go after the Schumacher family
Heike Puschmann
Reportedly, the materials included photographs, videos, medication records, and even Schumacher’s medical file, as noted by BILD back in July.
Markus is accused of misappropriating this data and then bringing in an associate and local bouncer Yilmaz T, 53, according to German law enforcement.
Yilmaz is claimed to have involved his son Daniel L to assist him in reaching out to the Schumacher family, before attempting to extort them.
Police report that the total amount the trio aimed to extort was around £12 million.
Yilmaz, who had known Markus for over two decades, was allegedly promised a small commission for his assistance.
German authorities quickly intervened to prevent the scheme shortly after the initial contact was made with the Schumacher family.
During the initial court appearance, Markus’s attorney claimed he had been asked by Corinna to digitize images of her husband.
This included the intimate photographs.
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However, it has been reported that one of the hard drives potentially containing data on the F1 legend has allegedly gone missing.
Authorities confirmed that they could track the suspected extortionists using “technical means.”
On July 4, police arrested Markus at his residence in Wülfrath.
Yilmaz and his son Daniel L were also taken into custody shortly after for their respective roles in the alleged blackmail plan.
All three individuals are facing charges and are currently going through court proceedings.
Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of at least four years if they are found guilty.
At Wuppertal District Court, Yilmaz T proclaimed his innocence, insisting that he only intended to assist a financially struggling nurse.
I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. He said he had photos of a person and wanted to sell them
Daniel L
His son, Daniel, has admitted his involvement but claims he was unaware of the contents being transmitted as part of the scheme.
The 30-year-old is accused of providing his father with an untraceable Gmail address.
He is further charged with sending the illicit images on behalf of his father.
Daniel stated: “I didn’t see the content. My dad just mentioned that it was a legal, normal matter, involving a layer, and that was all I needed to know; I didn’t pry any further.
“I didn’t think anything was wrong with it. He said he had photos and wanted to sell them.
“I didn’t inquire about the specifics. He’s my father, so I thought it was fine, and that was the extent of it.”
Corinna Schumacher, 55, has already made a request to protect her husband during the trial.
She aims to keep the trial closed to the public if discussions regarding the current state of health of the seven-time champion arise.
Since his life-altering skiing accident, Corinna has spent over a decade forming a close-knit circle of individuals authorized to be privy to information regarding Michael’s health status.
Since then, the F1 legend has not been seen or heard from, with very limited details released about his current condition.
What happened to Michael Schumacher?
MICHAEL Schumacher’s life was in grave danger over a decade ago while medical staff worked diligently to keep him alive after a devastating skiing accident.
The F1 legend suffered severe brain injuries and spent 250 days in a coma.
He received exceptional medical care undergoing numerous intricate surgeries on his brain.
In 2013, the retired seven-time world champion, alongside his then 14-year-old son, took to the Combe de Saulire ski run at the exclusive French resort of Meribel.
Helmet camera footage indicated that he was not skiing at high speeds when his skis struck a rock hidden beneath the snow.
He was propelled 11.5 feet forward and crashed headfirst into a boulder that broke his helmet, necessitating airlift to the hospital for two life-saving surgeries.
At one point, his family was instructed to prepare for the worst, as the situation was significantly more critical than initially thought.
At that moment, medics indicated that Schumacher would likely be in an induced coma for a minimum of 48 hours while his body and mind healed.
However, the coma lasted for 250 days — spanning more than eight months.
Upon awakening in June 2014, he was discharged from the hospital and returned to his home in Lake Geneva for additional treatment.
Since then, his wife Corinna and their tight-knit group of friends have worked tirelessly to prevent any information from leaking about his health status.
Only sparse details have been made public, including reports that Schumacher is in a wheelchair but is capable of responding to his environment.
In 2019, it was reported that Schumacher would undergo advanced stem cell therapy aimed at regenerating and reconstructing his nervous system.
Renowned French cardiologist Dr Philippe Menasche, who had previously operated on Schumacher, was set to conduct the treatment utilizing cells derived from his heart, directed to his brain.
After treatment at the Georges Pompidou Hospital in Paris, he was reported to be “conscious,” although scant details regarding his status were made available.
