The influencer Poupette Kenza, placed in pre-trial detention last July in an extortion case investigated in Rouen, was released on Thursday and placed under judicial supervision, we learned from her lawyer and the prosecution.
“This detention was really motivated by the lack of guarantee of representation, due to the fact that she has her entire life in Dubai (…) her children, her husband, her housing, her bank accounts, her companies”Mr. Jérémy Kalfon told AFP, confirming information from Le Parisien.
“From the moment her life was re-imported to France, there was no longer any reason for her to remain in detention given the moderate seriousness of the case”he estimated.
The Rouen public prosecutor’s office confirmed that the influencer had indeed been placed under judicial control by the investigating judge, without details at this stage on the terms of this control.
The young woman, aged 24, is pregnant with her third child and this pregnancy “most likely allowed” that his release be examined “a little faster” by justice, according to Me Kalfon.
Poupette Kenza, whose real name is Kenza Benchrif, was indicted for attempted extortion by an organized gang and criminal association.
The case was triggered by the complaint, on February 23, 2024, of a couple who “is the subject of various surveillance (physical, installation of mini-camera near their home and GPS beacon placed on their vehicle) and was physically threatened on condition of handing over a sum of 200,000 euros”explained the Rouen public prosecutor last July.
The influencer’s companion, Allan Liehrmann, returned to France on September 23 “to explain oneself to justice”. Arrested at the airport, he was in turn indicted for the same facts and imprisoned.
The investigation made it possible to find the alleged perpetrator of the extortion attempt, who was also indicted and imprisoned. The man was arrested during a meeting “planned for the delivery of the sum of money, while he was carrying a grenade”.
He admitted to having contacted the victims to “settle a financial dispute between them and an influencer currently residing in Dubai”.