It is the man by whom the scandal arrives. Quoted in the context of a vast investigation opened into suspicions of barbouzeries within the PSG, Hicham Karmoussi, the steward and butler of Nasser al-Khelaïfi for two decades, spoke publicly for the first time. with Mediapart. According to information from our colleagues that The Team is able to confirm, the man has already been heard as a witness on Tuesday by the police of the anti-corruption office, which is carrying out investigations into the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
As already mentioned Release et The Team, Hicham Karmoussi claims to have done the “cleaning” twice, in 2017, before searches carried out by the police, to prevent sensitive data belonging to the boss of the PSG from being discovered by the police. The butler thus claims to have concealed a telephone of Nasser al-Khelaïfi which would have contained compromising documents. The intendant admits having made a copy of these digital files which he would later have entrusted to several relatives, including a lobbyist close to Qatar and PSG, Tayeb Benabderrahmane, and a former police officer who became the referent supporter of PSG.
Documents relating to the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar
Among the documents in the hands of the three men, there are many personal and intimate data. But also, according to Mediapart, exchanges of Nasser al-Khelaïfi with several dignitaries and personalities from the world of sport who relate directly to FIFA and the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. What to relaunch the investigation of Judge Tournaire on suspicions of corruption? It’s up to the courts to decide.
In September 2022, Tayeb Benabderrahmane for his part assured that he had been sequestered for many months in 2020 by Qatar and had had to sign memorandums of understanding under duress, by which he undertook to return the documents in his possession in exchange of his release. A version that the Qatari authorities have refused to comment on since the start of this affair.
On Friday, Nasser al-Khelaïfi’s entourage once again decided not to answer questions from our colleagues from Mediapart, contenting themselves with denouncing a “group of thugs” who would try to blackmail PSG.