Gerard Pique and Shakira are reportedly being blackmailed over a sex tape

There seems to be a worrying trend of footballers being blackmailed over compromising video tapes.

Karim Benzema is currently being criminally investigated for his involvement in the extortion of international teammate Mathieu Valbuena in relation to a sex tape. And now Gerard Pique has become embroiled in something similar to Valbuena as Diario Vasco report that the Barcelona defender and singer partner Shakira are being held to ransom. According to the report, the couple are being blackmailed for a large sum of money by a former employee, who has threatened to distribute a video tape featuring Pique and Shakira involved in intimate sexual acts. Neither party has confirmed the story but nor have they denied it and a jail sentence of up to five years can be handed down to the perpetrator if found guilty. Art. 243 of the Spanish Penal Code says: "Anyone who, for profit, obliges another, with violence or intimidation, to do or omit an act or legal business to the detriment of its assets or a third party shall be punishable imprisonment of one to five years, subject to which they may be imposed for acts of physical violence made."