F1 News
Corinna Schumacher appeals 'lenient' verdict on convicted blackmailer
Three men recently heard sentencing on their case after they were found guilty of attempting to blackmail the family of seven time F1 world champion, Michael Schumacher, for a hefty sum of money. Now the German's family has fired back, appealing the verdict of one of the convicted criminals for finding his punishment to be too lenient.
Life changed for the Schumacher family since late 2013, when the German driver suffered a serious accident while skiing. Since then, the German has not been seen in public and the list of allowed visitors has been growing ever thinner as the years go by.
Schumacher's condition has been fiercely safeguarded by his family, so much so, that the world is still unaware of the seven time world champion's current state of health. As such, people have often attempted to profit from the German's medical status, whether by selling photos or private information to the press, or by blackmailing his family.
Yilmaz Tozturkan and son Daniel Lins, were given three years in prison and a suspended six-month jail sentence respectively, following their involvement in the attempted blackmail of the Schumacher family, threatening to expose pictures and footage of the seven time world champion, as well as his medical records, lest they were paid €15 million.
Fritsche's punishment too lenient, 'will not deter potential copycats'
Markus Fritsche, a former bodyguard of the Schumacher's, was undergoing trial after being named as Tozturkan and his son's supplier of the sensitive footage and images, believed to have been sold to the pair for a five figure sum. Having been found guilty as an accessory to the alleged extorsion, Fritsche received a two-year suspended sentence. However, for the Schumacher family this is far too lenient.
A representative of the Schumacher family has since explained the reason behind the appeal. "We have appealed against what we consider to be the far too lenient sentence for Mr F," started the statement, as reporte by Planet F1.
"In my opinion, he was the mastermind behind this. What still shocks me most is the massive breach of trust. He should receive a punishment that deters any potential copycats," concluded the statement explaining that the objective behind the appeal is to see Fritsche convicted for a complicitous role in the blackmail attempt on the Schumacher family.
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