Kylian Mbappe denies rape allegation as Swedish officials launch investigation into soccer star

The French footballer described the allegations as “fake news” and appeared to claim his former club Paris Saint-Germain was behind the allegations

French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappe has strongly denied recent rape allegations made against him, while Swedish authorities announced this week they were launching an investigation into the woman’s allegations.

The BBC reported on Wednesday that Mbappe, 25, was the subject of a Swedish police investigation into an alleged rape last week in Stockholm.

The Swedish law enforcement agency announced on Tuesday that “a criminal report has been submitted to the police” but did not identify a suspect or victim in connection with the alleged incident, which officials said took place on October 10 at a hotel in central Sweden Stockholm had happened.

Mbappe reacted to the incident on social media, writing “FAKE NEWS!!!!” in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). He also appeared to suggest that the rape allegations against him were related to an upcoming hearing at his former club Paris Saint-Germain involving about 55 million euros in wages he says he is owed.

“On the eve of the hearing it becomes so predictable as if by chance,” Mbappe wrote on the social media site, according to a French translation.

The New York Timesreported that Mbappe visited Sweden on holiday last week and was with friends and family at the time.

His lawyer Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard appeared on French evening news program TF1 on Tuesday night and said she was “astonished” by the allegations and that her office was preparing to file a defamation lawsuit in response, the BBC reported.

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PEOPLE has reached out to Mbappe’s lawyer for comment on the allegations and the criminal charges allegedly filed against the Real Madrid player.

“[Kylian Mbappé] is never alone,” Canu-Bernard said, according to the BBC. “He is never put in a situation where he takes a risk. This means that any reprehensible actions on his part are completely ruled out. I can tell you that with absolute certainty.

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