The individual orchestrating the blackmail scheme involving Michael Schumacher reportedly threatened to expose “intimate” photographs of the critically injured racing driver, as revealed in a German court.
A former security guard for the Schumacher family allegedly sought “revenge” after being fired earlier this year.
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Markus F, 53, reportedly felt aggrieved after his dismissal and allegedly collaborated with two others to swindle millions from the affluent Schumacher family.
German authorities are spearheading the investigation, with the trio facing legal action at Wuppertal District Court in the vicinity of Dortmund this week.
A member of the Schumacher household testified that she uncovered emails exchanged between Markus and the family, wherein he demanded payment to keep the private images confidential.
Heike Puschmann recounted that the men possessed photos of Michael in a wheelchair and threatened to release them on the dark web.
read more in blackmail plot
She stated in court: “Emails were sent in which he mentioned that without receiving his payment, he would target the Schumacher family.”
Puschmann, an employee in the Schumacher household, mentioned she couldn’t recall the exact sum of money mentioned in the correspondence.
However, she believed it was an amount less than three months’ wages for the former security personnel at that period.
As of now, Markus has remained silent throughout the court proceedings, only confirming his name and address.
The intimate images are reportedly part of a collection of 1,500 personal files thought to have been acquired from the Schumacher family home.
This sensitive information was downloaded onto four USB drives and two hard disks shortly prior to Markus’s termination, according to prosecutors.
Emails were sent in which he stated that if he didn’t receive his payment, he would go after the Schumacher family
Heike Puschmann
The materials included photographs, videos, medical records, and even Schumacher’s medical files, as reported by BILD back in July.
Markus is accused of misappropriating this information and involving his long-time associate and local bouncer Yilmaz T, 53, as stated by German law enforcement.
Yilmaz allegedly enlisted the assistance of his son Daniel L to help contact the Schumacher family before attempting to extort them.
Police estimate the total amount the trio sought to extort was around £12 million.
Yilmaz, who has known Markus for over twenty years, was said to have been offered a small commission for his involvement.
Authorities acted quickly to shut down the potential scheme shortly after the contact was made with the Schumacher family.
During their initial court appearance, Markus’s lawyer claimed that Corinna Schumacher had asked him to digitize photographs of her husband.
This reportedly included the sensitive photographs.
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However, it seems that one of the hard disks that could contain data on the F1 legend has reportedly gone missing.
Officials have indicated they may be able to intercept the alleged blackmailers through “technical measures.”
On July 4, police apprehended Markus at his residence in Wülfrath.
They also detained Yilmaz and his son Daniel L shortly thereafter for their roles in the alleged extortion attempt.
All three are currently facing legal charges and are involved in ongoing court proceedings.
Prosecutors are pursuing minimum sentences of four years should they be convicted.
At Wuppertal District Court, Yilmaz T insisted on his innocence, claiming he was merely attempting to assist a nurse who was struggling financially.
I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. He simply told me he had photos of someone and wanted to sell them
Daniel L
His son Daniel has acknowledged his involvement in the scheme but claims he was unaware of the nature of the materials being transmitted.
The 30-year-old is accused of facilitating his father’s use of an untraceable Gmail account.
He is also purportedly responsible for sending the questionable images on behalf of his father.
Daniel stated: “I didn’t see the content. My dad just said it was a legal, normal matter, and that was the end of the discussion for me, so I didn’t ask any further questions.
“I didn’t think it was negative. He just mentioned he had photos of someone and wanted to sell them.
“I didn’t inquire about the details. It’s my dad. I just accepted it, that was all.”
Corinna Schumacher, 55, has already taken steps to protect her husband during the legal proceedings.
She seeks to shield the public from hearing about the current state of health of the seven-time champion.
Corinna has committed over a decade to maintaining a close-knit group of individuals who have access to information about Michael’s health following his life-altering skiing accident.
The F1 legend has not been seen or heard from since, and very little information has emerged concerning his current condition.
What happened to Michael Schumacher?
MICHAEL Schumacher’s life was at risk over a decade ago as medical teams worked tirelessly to sustain him following a tragic skiing accident.
The F1 legend suffered severe brain injuries and spent 250 days in a coma.
He received exceptional medical treatment as he underwent several complex surgeries on his brain.
In 2013, the retired seven-time champion, along with his then 14-year-old son, skied on the Combe de Saulire run in the exclusive French resort of Meribel.
Helmet camera footage indicated that he was not skiing fast when his skis struck a rock hidden beneath the snow.
He was propelled 11.5 feet forward and smashed headfirst into a boulder that shattered his helmet, requiring an airlift to the hospital for two life-saving operations.
At one point, his family was warned to prepare for the worst, as his condition turned out to be significantly worse than initially believed.
At that moment, medics recommended Schumacher would likely remain in an induced coma for a minimum of 48 hours while his body and mind healed.
However, the coma extended for 250 days — lasting more than eight months.
Upon waking in June 2014, he was discharged from the hospital and returned home to Lake Geneva for continued rehabilitation.
Since then, his wife Corinna and their close circle of friends have worked relentlessly to keep information about his health status confidential.
Only sparse details have emerged, including claims that Schumacher is in a wheelchair but can respond to his environment.
In 2019, it was reported that Schumacher was set to undergo pioneering stem cell therapy aimed at repairing and rebuilding his nervous system.
Notable French cardiologist Dr Philippe Menasche, who had previously operated on him, was set to conduct the procedure using cells from his heart targeted to his brain.
After treatment at the Georges Pompidou Hospital in Paris, he was reported to be “aware,” though further information regarding his condition has remained limited.
