Michael Schumacher's security guard 'tried to sell photos of F1 legend after accident'

F1 legend Michael Schumacher's former security guard Markus F has been accused of masterminding a blackmail plot that threatened to release images of the seven-time world champion following his December 2013 skiing accident. The security guard was arrested by the public prosecutor's office from Wulfrath on Thursday for allegedly trying to extort the Schumacher family out of £12 million.

Markus F, a trusted security expert who worked for the iconic F1 family a few years ago, allegedly committed the crime to pay off his debts. It is reportedis said to have included turning private pictures into digital files to send to his associate and his son.

Following the arrest of Yilmaz T and his son Daniel L, 30, the pair claimed they were working on behalf of Markus F, who had a large number of evidence seized from his property post-arrest on Thursday. Family employees of the Schumachers were allegedly approached by the accused, who claimed to have secret files on the ex-Ferrari ace.

The accused demanded millions for the files to be kept off the dark web, according to the Wuppertal office, and prosecutors said in June that files were sent to the family as proof. Schumacher's health has been kept under wraps since his 2013 skiing accident and the iconic F1 driver hasn't been seen or heard.

Updates have been provided by close friends. Namely, former Ferrari boss Jean Todt, who opened up on the devastating changes of the skiing accident. “Michael is here, so I don’t miss him,” Todt told L’Equipe last December.

"[But he] is simply not the Michael he used to be. He is different and is wonderfully guided by his wife and children who protect him. His life is different now and I have the privilege of sharing moments with him.

"That’s all there is to say. Unfortunately, fate struck him ten years ago. He is no longer the Michael we knew in Formula 1.”

Schumacher was unable to get to his son's F1 races too, with Mick spending two seasons at Haas in 2021 and 2022. However, he was replaced from the 2023 season and he headed to Mercedes, one of his dad's former teams, to be the Silver Arrows' third driver.

Mick has been linked with a return to the F1 grid with Alpine impressed with the German following his work with the team on their Hypercar programme. He would face stiff competition for a seat, though, with several top drivers up for grabs following 2024. Esteban Ocon is yet to have a seat confirmed, as is Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, who was nudged out by the pending arrival of Lewis Hamilton.

At Mercedes, the Silver Arrows appear primed to promote 17-year-old sensation Kimi Antonelli. That promotion would see him join Oliver Bearman from F2 in F1 next season. Bearman impressed as a stand-in for Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia this year, scoring points, and the Brit will race for Haas in 2025.