French authorities foil plan of 18-year-old jailed criminal to kidnap footballer Kylian Mbappe

French authorities have discovered that Kylian Mbappe, captain of the national football team and Real Madrid superstar, was one of the potential kidnapping targets of an organized crime ring. Mbappe was one of 26 names found on phones seized from 18-year-old Clement L and his associates. The alleged ringleader, Clement, who is currently in solitary confinement in pretrial detention, was charged by authorities on August 21 for organized robbery among other offences.

How Mbappe kidnapping plot was foiled

Clement, who went by the pseudonym Lester Z, had 26 people on his hit list for kidnapping, reported French newspaper Le Parisien on its X handle.

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"Jailed for organized gang theft and pimping, an 18-year-old man planned to target 26 people. This gang planned to kidnap and assault business leaders, but also a rapper and… the footballer Kylian Mbappe," the post read (translated from French).

Details about the kidnapping targets were found on phones seized from the suspect's cell at Villepinte penitentiary (Seine-Saint-Denis). Clement used the name Lester Z on Snapchat and issued orders under the pseudonym.

"Two phones were seized by prison guards, and their contents were highly revealing," Le Parisien reported, citing a source. "He also wanted to go after a rapper and the footballer Kylian Mbappe," the source added.

According to the newspaper report, Clement and his group are believed to have carried out crimes between April 11 and August 19 in towns such as Neuilly-sur-Seine, Saint-Brice-sous-Forêt, and Santenay.

Who is Clement L—alleged mastermind behind foiled kidnapping plan?

The 18-year-old dropped out of school during his first year of vocational training in cooking. He, however, told authorities that he wants to resume his education and become a chef.