The family of Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher is fighting to keep his health details private during the ongoing blackmail trial of his former bodyguard and two accomplices in Germany. The trial, which began in Wuppertal, involves Markus Fritsche, a former bodyguard, Yilmaz Tozturkan, a nightclub bouncer, and Tozturkan's son Daniel Lins, who are accused of attempting to extort €15 million (£12 million) from the Schumacher family using private photos, videos, and medical notes.
Tozturkan, who has been in custody, allegedly threatened to release the material on the dark web if the family did not pay. He told the court that Fritsche provided him with two hard drives containing the sensitive data around 2021, and that Fritsche suggested selling the material for between €10 million and €15 million. Tozturkan admitted to contacting the Schumacher family after failing to find a buyer, claiming he thought he could 'make a little bit of money from the story.'
Fritsche's lawyer read a statement denying blackmail, stating that his client had been asked to digitise photographs for Schumacher's wife Corinna while employed by the family from 2012 to 2020. He claimed that Fritsche assumed the family had taken the hard drive when his apartment was packed up. Daniel Lins told the court he had 'no idea it was blackmail' and only helped his father create an untraceable email address, believing the matter was legal.
Corinna Schumacher has filed a motion to have parts of the case heard in private, specifically when her husband's health is discussed. The public prosecutor, Wolf-Tilman Baumert, said he expects the judge to grant the request, which would exclude the public from those sessions. Schumacher has been out of the public eye since a severe skiing accident in 2013 left him with a life-changing brain injury.
