Karim Benzema was found guilty in a blackmail case involving former teammate over a sex tape

For his role in the attempted blackmail of former teammate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex film, Karim Benzema was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and a €75,000 fine. On Wednesday, Benzema's lawyer told the press that the player would appeal the ruling.

The decision by a court in Versailles, which found Benzema guilty of "complicity" in the affair, marks an end to a legal drama that began in 2015 and resulted in Benzema's expulsion from the France national team for nearly six years. Last month's three-day trial was skipped by Benzema. With the 33-year-old in training with Real Madrid ahead of their El Clasico match against Barcelona, his lawyer claimed professional reasons.

Axel Angot, Mustapha Zouaoui, Youness Houass, and Karim Zenati were also convicted guilty and received prison sentences ranging from a conditional 18-month sentence to a mandatory two-and-a-half-year penalty.

Angot was accused of discovering a sexually explicit film on Valbuena's phone after he was instructed to transfer its contents to a new device, according to prosecutors. Angot and a third defendant, Zouaoui, attempted to extort money from Valbuena, who was playing for Lyon and France at the time. They enlisted the help of another defendant, Houses, before turning to Zenati, Benzema's childhood buddy, who authorities say recruited him as a "middleman." Valbuena alerted the authorities, who launched a sting operation.

Benzema discussed the footage with Valbuena at a France training camp in October 2015. Benzema denied any involvement, saying he was attempting to address the problem and advising his teammate to "be careful," referring to the blackmailers as "serious criminals."

However, Benzema's offer of aid was regarded by police, prosecutors, and the court as abetting the blackmail plan.

Benzema returned to the France national team earlier this year, appearing in Euro 2020 and starring in their UEFA Nations League final victory, and is now the top scorer in LaLiga with ten goals.

He is one of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or award for the best male player in 2021, which will be presented next week. Valbuena, who is now at Olympiakos in Greece, has not represented his country since the event.