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Karim Benzema at a game in Madrid in early November
Photo: JUANJO MARTIN / EPA
The French national soccer player Karim Benzema has been sentenced to one year in prison in a so-called sex video affair.
That was decided by a French court on Wednesday.
The Real Madrid striker has been found guilty of aiding and abetting blackmailing his former national team-mate Mathieu Valbuena.
Benzema also has to pay a fine of 75,000 euros.
The sentence was two months higher than the prosecution had requested.
"We are shocked by the verdict," said his lawyer Paul-Albert Iweins on Wednesday in Versailles.
He announced that he would appeal.
The judges consider it proven that Benzema was involved in the attempted blackmailing of Mathieu Valbuena in 2015.
The case concerned a sexual video from Valbuena's mobile phone.
In addition to Benzema, four other men were charged.
They allegedly threatened to release the video to extort money from Valbuena.
The co-defendants were sentenced to sentences ranging from 18 months probation to two and a half years in prison.
The scandal rocked the French national team six years ago, and both Benzema and Valbuena had to leave the team.
National coach Didier Deschamps has now resumed Benzema.
ala / dpa / AFP