Michael Schumacher’s family targeted by alleged blackmail plot
German newspaper Bild states German police have arrested two men in the German city of Wuppertal
Two men have been arrested by German police on allegations of blackmailing the family of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, as reported by German newspaper Bild.
The report states that the two men, from the German city of Wuppertal, were seeking millions of Euros from the family of the seven-time F1 world champion.
Public prosecutors in Wuppertal have opened an investigation into blackmail directed at a celebrity and arrests have been made in connection with the probe, said a spokesperson, without naming the celebrity.
The exact nature of the alleged blackmail plot is unknown. The Independent has approached Schumacher’s representative for comment.
Schumacher, 55, suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident in Meribel, France, in December 2013 and has not been seen in public since. The German’s health condition has been shrouded in secrecy in the last decade, with his wife Corinna insistent on protecting his privacy as he continues to recover.
Schumacher has two children with wife Corinna: son Mick, a driver in F1 from 2021-2022, and daughter Gina-Maria.
Last month, Schumacher’s family won €200,000 (£170,287) in compensation from a German magazine after they published an ‘exclusive interview’ with the F1 legend based on answers generated by an artificial intelligence programme.
German outlet Die Aktuelle sparked a huge backlash online after plastering Schumacher’s face on the front cover of the 15 April 2023 edition of their magazine with “exclusive interview” as the accompanying tag.
The magazine stated that it was “the first interview” Schumacher has given since his accident, adding: “No meagre, nebulous half-sentences from friends. But answers from him! By Michael Schumacher, 54!”
Yet at the end of the article, the outlet reveal that they in fact used an AI chatbot, reported to be Character.ai, to generate the answers.
Schumacher’s family announced their intention to sue Die Aktuelle following the publication of the article and, in May, a family spokeswoman confirmed a Munich Labour Court judgement and €200,000 settlement by Funke media group, publishers of the magazine, without making any further comment. The magazine’s editor was sacked last year, with Funke apologising to the Schumacher family.
In 2017, a court in Reutlingen handed a suspended sentence to a man who had sent an email who threatened Schumacher’s children unless he received 900,000 euros ($960,000).
Former Ferrari boss Jean Todt gave an update on Schumacher’s health in December 2023, the same month that a five-part documentary series entitled Being Michael Schumacher aired exclusively in Germany.
“Michael is here, so I don’t miss him,” Todt told L’Equipe. “[But he] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him.
“His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him. That’s all there is to say.”
Schumacher holds the joint-record for the most Formula 1 world championships, seven, with Lewis Hamilton.
Additional reporting by Reuters