Franck Ribéry's name appears six times in the Epstein files. The former French international is cited in a statement attributed to a third party, without any legal repercussions. Those close to Ribéry categorically deny the allegations.

French football has not escaped the Epstein scandal. In early February, the American justice system released millions of documents related to the American businessman, accused of sexual crimes. These files, which reveal links between the multimillionaire and certain prominent figures, notably contain the name of Franck Ribéry.

The former French international (42 years old, 81 caps) is mentioned six times in the document released by the US Department of Justice. Franck Ribéry is cited in a statement attributed to a third party, which discusses violent incidents and a prostitution ring.

"Franck Ribéry tried to hit me while I was in my garden and he had obtained my number and address, police officers surrounded him and brought him back to his car," it reads.

"That's fake news."

To date, no known legal proceedings have been initiated against the former Bayern Munich and Marseille player based on these allegations. The mere mention of a person's name in the Epstein case file does not, in itself, imply any wrongdoing on their part.

"This is fake news!" reacted Brusa Carlo Alberto, his lawyer. "I will take action tomorrow (Tuesday) in my capacity as Mr. Ribéry's lawyer and implement all necessary legal proceedings to punish those responsible for this fake news, which is an attack on the dignity of my client and his family."

A prominent figure in New York's jet set during the 1990s and 2000s, Jeffrey Epstein was accused of sexually exploiting more than a thousand young women, including minors. He was found hanged in his New York jail cell in 2019 before his trial for sex crimes.