The president of the PSG, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, implicated in an investigation for "kidnapping and torture"

(CNN) --

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is implicated in an investigation into "kidnapping and torture" in France, the Paris prosecutor's office confirmed to CNN on Wednesday.

This follows allegations that Al-Khelaifi was involved in the transfer of "probably compromising" documents from a French-Algerian national, Tayeb Benabderrahmane, who claims to have been tortured in Qatari custody in 2020, according to a complaint filed by lawyers. de Benabderrahmane to the French authorities.

"On January 19, the Paris Prosecutor's Office opened a preliminary investigation for acts of kidnapping; kidnapping with torture and barbaric acts in an organized gang; extortion in an organized gang; threats and acts of intimidation and association with criminals. This occurred after the receipt of two complaints with civil actions in relation to Mr. Benabderrahmane," the prosecution told CNN, but did not name Al-Khelaifi.

The Paris Prosecutor's Office confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that three investigating judges have been assigned to the case.

This normally denotes a progression from the preliminary investigation.

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The complaint by Benabderrahmane's lawyers does not specify what the alleged documents are, but states that "they could be compromising for certain high-level people in Qatar, including foreigners."

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Al-Khelaifi, a Qatari national, denies having committed any wrongdoing.

On Wednesday, his representative directed CNN to a statement that they said "Al-Khelaifi issued to L'Equipe in November 2022."

"They are talking about professional criminals," Al-Khelaifi said.

"They have changed their lawyer more times than their stories and their lies have changed. It is the height of media manipulation. I am surprised that so many people have given credibility to their lies and contradictions, but that is the media world in which we are today. Justice will take its course, I don't have time to talk about professional petty criminals."

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The lawyers representing Benabderrahmane, Romain Ruiz and Gabriel Vejnar, told CNN on Wednesday: "Mr. Tayeb Benabderrahmane welcomes the opening of this investigation by the French judiciary and, naturally, he will continue to defend his rights as he has made in the other proceedings that he has initiated to establish the seriously prejudicial nature of the treatment to which he was subjected by the Qatari authorities, as well as by their representatives in France and abroad.

"Mr. Benabderrahmane wishes to underline that, contrary to what is often claimed, he has never been involved in extortion or blackmail against Nasser Al-Khelaifi," Ruiz and Vejnar added.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi PSG