Mbappé Police Payments Prompt Fraud Investigation

French authorities are investigating potentially fraudulent payments totaling €180,300 made by football star Kylian Mbappé to five police officers assigned to protect the national team, following a tip from the finance ministry's anti-money laundering unit about unusual transactions. The probe is examining whether the payments, distributed among the officers, were for official World Cup duties or for private services, as one officer reportedly accompanied Mbappé on personal trips to Cameroon and Provence. Mbappé's representatives assert the payments were transparent, regulated, and intended as gratitude for the officers' World Cup work, consistent with his usual practice of donating national team bonuses to charity and staff. Authorities are assessing if any criminal offences occurred, and one officer is reportedly facing a disciplinary hearing. Mbappé has expressed willingness to cooperate with the inquiry. Meanwhile, Mbappé is also seeking unpaid wages from his former club, PSG.