Kylian Mbappe ‘entangled’ in rape scandal
Kylian Mbappe ‘entangled’ in rape scandal. Real Madrid forward, Kylian Mbappe is reported to being investigated by Swedish police for rape according to a newspaper report in Sweden, following a visit by the Frenchman to Stockholm, which Mbappe has come out to denounce as “fake news”.
After a report from Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that an alleged rape had been reported to police but did not say who was accused, Expressen newspaper said 25-year-old Kylian Mbappe was the suspect.
“According to information obtained by Expressen, police are investigating the star who is reasonably suspected of rape and sexual assault,” the newspaper wrote.
Swedish law enforcement differentiate the level of suspicion as either reasonable or probable, with reasonable being the lower degree of suspicion.
Mbappe’s entourage, when contacted by AFP, said it had no knowledge of a legal complaint made against him.
The French international was not selected for his country’s latest round of Nations League fixtures, and was seen with some group of people in Stockholm last Thursday. They dined at a restaurant before going to a nightclub, according to the Aftonbladet report, before Mbappe and the group left Sweden on Friday.
The newspaper also highlighted that a rape offense was committed “in Stockholm city centre”, citing a formal complaint made to police on Saturday that it had seen.
Aftonbladet said the complaint was filed after the alleged victim had sought medical attention, but did not say who was named in the accusation.
Later, Expressen newspaper had reported that Mbappe was the suspect of the rape scandal.
Mbappe himself claimed in a post on X, (formerly known as Twitter), that there was a link between the Aftonbladet report and his hearing before a French league committee on Tuesday in his bitter dispute with his former club Paris Saint-Germain, over what he says are unpaid wages.
Mbappe claims he is owed 55 million euros ($60 million) by his former club, and the Qatari-owned French outfits.
Taking to his X account, Mbappe posted;
“FAKE NEWS !!!!. It’s becoming so predictable, on the eve of the hearing, as if by chance.”
A prosecutor investigating the accusation told AFP:
“A probe is under way into a crime that was reported on October 10 in the centre of Stockholm.”
However, the Swedish police declined to give any further details in regards to the case. Speaking, was Police Spokeswoman, Carina Skagerlind;
“In general, if we have received a complaint and decided to conduct interviews and we make it known (to the public), those involved in the case may take actions that delay and complicate the investigation.”
Aftonbladet published photos on its website on Monday, showing police officers in front of the hotel where Mbappe and the group with him had stayed during their stay in Stockholm, Sweden.
Reacting to the allegations, Mbappe’s entourage said in a statement sent to AFP:
“Today, a new slanderous rumour is starting to spread across the web from the Swedish media Aftonbladet.
“These accusations are completely false and irresponsible, and their propagation is unacceptable.
“In order to put an end to this methodical destruction of (the) image (of Kylian Mbappe), all necessary legal action will be taken to re-establish the truth and pursue any person or media involved in the moral harassment and defamatory treatment that Kylian Mbappe is suffering repeatedly,” the statement added.
Also, a source close to Paris Saint-Germain told AFP it would “ignore” Mbappe’s claim that there was a link between the report in Sweden and his dispute with the club.
Mbappe left Paris Saint-Germain and joined Real Madrid in the summer after seven years with the French outfits.
