Michael Schumacher's former bodyguard faces prison sentence for attempted £12m extortion
Michael Schumacher’s former bodyguard Markus Fritsche has been accused of stealing private and sensitive information about the seven-time world champion. The 53-year-old reportedly attempted to extort £12 Million from the Schumacher family. Feitsche’s trial begins on the 10th of December and he faces a prison sentence if found guilty.
Markus Fritsche was appointed as Michael Schumacher’s bodyguard in 2012. About 18 months after the appointment, the German driver met with an unfortunate skiing accident. Since the accident, Schumacher has been away from the public eye while under intensive care.
The bodyguard was part of the close circle of the Schumacher family before he was let go in 2020. Fritsche had access to private information and is believed to have stolen 1500 pictures and 200 videos and stored them on storage devices.
The trial will take place at the Wuppertal District Court. According to BILD’s report, Fritsche faces a severe prison sentence if the verdict comes out as guilty. Three months after the initial arrest, the Wuppertal public prosecutor deemed the investigation to be complete and hence the trial date was set.
However, Markus Fritsche isn’t the only one accused of committing the crime. The bodyguard reportedly sold the sensitive information to his friend Yilmaz Tozturkan, and his son Daniel Lins. The father-son duo reportedly paid a five-figure sum to the bodyguard for the photos and video on the storage device.
According to the reports, Yilmaz contacted Michael Schumacher's family on the 3rd of June and threatened to release the photos on the dark web. Later that month, his son Lin sent a few pictures to the Schumacher residence and asked for £12 Million in return to stop the leak of the pictures.
However, it is believed that the police were already keeping the two under observation. Once the attempted extortion took place, the police arrested the defendants in a matter of a week on June 19.
The source suggests that Yilmaz Tozturkhan can face up to 15 years in prison for the accused crime whereas Lins has been ‘accused of aiding and abetting extortion’. The bodyguard on the other hand reportedly faces a more relaxed sentence with prosecutors calling for at least four years of imprisonment if found guilty (as per beIN SPORTS). While it might seem less, there is ground for an increment in the tenure depending on the severity of the offense as per the evidence.
Michael Schumacher’s first public appearance since the Skiing accident
The former German driver hadn’t been seen in public since his Skiing accident with Michael Schumacher reportedly needing 24-hour care. However, reports suggest that he attended his daughter Gina’s wedding earlier this year. She got married to her longtime boyfriend and the wedding took place at the family home in Spain.
Schumacher’s family has also been secretive in sharing information about the seven-time champion’s health condition and his recovery. Little is known about his current condition as 2023 marked the 10th anniversary of the unfortunate skiing incident.
Michael Schumacher's former Boss at Ferrari, Jean Todt suggested that the German isn’t what he used to be. Todt said (via Le Equipe):
“Michael is here, so I don't miss him. He is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different, and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him. His life is different now, and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him. That's all there is to say.”
Four court dates have been fixed for the upcoming hearings as Judge Birgit Neubert shall preside over the case and determine the legitimacy of the prosecution evidence.