Ajax’s Brobbey responds to extortion report: ‘What’s private should stay private’
Ajax forward Brian Brobbey has publicly addressed the extortion case that has plagued him since late 2022, expressing frustration over the matter becoming public and stating that he considers the ordeal a closed chapter, De Telegraaf reported.
Brobbey’s reaction came shortly after Het Parool published a report Friday morning revealing that the 23-year-old striker had been the target of long-term extortion. In a brief response to De Telegraaf, Brobbey criticized the publicity surrounding the case.
“What’s private should stay private,” Brobbey said. “This story is a closed book for me. Looking back doesn’t help. I’m focused on the future.”
According to Het Parool, the extortion began at the end of 2022. Brobbey was pressured to transfer 150,000 euros before the end of each month. He never filed a police report, reportedly in the hope that the tension would fade with time.
The threats escalated into violence. A close friend of Brobbey’s was shot as a direct consequence of the extortion and barely survived the attack. Members of Brobbey’s family were also targeted.
On the night of January 15 to 16, 2023, a heavy firework was used to damage the mailbox of Brobbey’s mother-in-law. Two months later, between March 18 and 19, an explosive device was detonated near Brobbey’s car.
No suspects have been publicly named, and Brobbey has made no further statements about the perpetrators or the investigation. His focus, he emphasized, is on moving forward.
