Brian Brobbey targeted in alleged extortion plot as Sunderland form endures | OneFootball

Brian Brobbey was targeted in an alleged extortion plot while at Ajax, yet the Sunderland striker has continued to excel this season.

According to NY Times, the 24-year-old joined Sunderland from Ajax for £21.5million after Chelsea recalled Marc Guiu, then struck an equaliser against Arsenal in November and a comeback winner at Bournemouth weeks later.

Brobbey, who grew up in Zuidoost in south-east Amsterdam, became a target for the city’s criminal underworld despite being innocent. In December 2022 he was approached by a man later named in court as ‘Jeymon A’, who said Moroccan criminals were looking for him, claimed to have fixed it and sought compensation.

Weeks later, fireworks were shoved through his mother-in-law’s letterbox, an explosive was thrown at a vehicle belonging to Brobbey and his sister-in-law’s car was torched. A friend who met ‘Jeymon A’ to resolve it was shot and needed emergency hospital treatment.

A week later, Brobbey received a text demanding £130,000 by month-end, warning “we’re going to do it differently” if he did not pay. There is no evidence he paid. ‘Jeymon A’ was later sentenced to at least 10 years for attempted manslaughter, plus weapons and drugs offences, and has lodged an appeal that is yet to be heard. He was not charged with alleged extortion, though a judge cited it in court as a possible motive and named Brobbey as the target.

Head coach Regis Le Bris praised Brobbey’s steady improvement and said he hopes the progress continues.

Source: NY Times