They claim to have information on Michael Schumacher: the family of the F1 world champion victim of blackmail

La famille de Michael Schumacher ciblée par des maître-chanteurs. augenklick/firo Sportphoto – firo Sportphoto/

A father and son have been arrested on suspicion of attempting to blackmail the family of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher, the prosecutor's office in Wuppertal, western Germany, on Monday.

The father, aged 53, and his 30-year-old son, originally from Wuppertal, told associates of Schumacher's family that they had data that they did not want to see released, according to the prosecutor's statement.

A case of blackmail

To prevent the dissemination of this data on the "darknet"  (the hidden and opaque side of the web, Editor's note), the duo had demanded millions of euros from the family, said the prosecution, without specifying what data was in question. Arrested last Wednesday by the police in the parking lot of a supermarket near Frankfurt, the two men had sent mailings to the family supposed to prove their claims.

Since suffering serious head trauma after a skiing accident in December 2013 in the French resort of Méribel, the seven-time world champion, currently aged 55 years old, is being treated at home. He spent nearly six months in an artificial coma and almost no information has filtered out since regarding his state of health.

On the day of the arrest of the two alleged blackmailers, last Wednesday, a total of eight places were searched: their main homes, the second home and the father's workplace in Constance (south), as well as other locations in Solingen (west).

Several computer media have been seized and are currently being evaluated. The father and son were presented to the court in Wuppertal last Thursday for incarceration. They face up to five years in prison if convicted.