Former Manchester City and France footballer Benjamin Mendy has been cleared of one count of rape and another of attempted rape by a UK court jury. Mendy, 28, had been on trial at Chester Crown Court in northwest England after being cleared of six counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
However, a British report has revealed the negative aftermath and financial losses that have affected the life of Benjamin Mendy, despite his acquittal from the rape and sexual assault charges that haunted him in recent years.
The Sun newspaper confirmed that Mendy sold some of his possessions, including luxury cars and expensive watches, to clear his name and defend himself against the allegations. Additionally, he lost over a million pounds during his time in prison.
The newspaper noted that Mendy was already a millionaire when he arrived at Manchester City in 2017 from Monaco in a deal worth £68 million ($90 million), which made him the world’s most expensive defender at the time. Under that contract, according to The Sun, the player earned £100,000 ($132,000) per week and up to an additional £170,000 ($225,000) in bonuses.
Instead of receiving £31.2 million ($41 million) as per his Manchester City contract, Mendy faced bankruptcy after his arrest in 2021 on rape charges.
Manchester City exacerbated Mendy’s troubles a month after his arrest by suspending his salary. The French full-back was also forced to close his image rights company due to tax issues following scrutiny by the authorities.
Mendy also suffered significant financial losses from selling his house in Prestbury, a town near Manchester, as well as his luxury cars and expensive watches.
Upon hearing his acquittal verdict, Mendy burst into tears in court on Friday and wiped away his tears as he left Chester Crown Court in Northwest England.
When asked about his feelings after being cleared of all charges, Mendy responded with just two words, “Alhamdulillah” (meaning “Thanks be to God” in Arabic).
Former Manchester City player Mendy had been investigated by the police following allegations from 13 women against him and his co-defendant, Louis Saha Matoury.
Mendy’s last appearance as a player was on August 15, 2021, in Manchester City’s loss to Tottenham Hotspur with a score of 1-0 in the opening match of the 2021-2022 season.
