Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu was the victim of a $5 million extortion attempt by a family member, according to federal court documents.
Geourvon Keinell Sears, 21, is accused of threatening to reveal personal information about Mathieu. According to the documents from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Sears allegedly ordered Mathieu in April to put $1.5 million in his bank account within a week before upping the demand to $5 million. Sears allegedly said he would contact TMZ if he did not receive the money.
Sears, who is described as a family member and close associate of Mathieu's, allegedly sent a message to Mathieu's friends that said, "I want 1.5 million by Friday or I am going to kill all you all." He also told Mathieu's agent that he planned to make a sexual misconduct allegation against Mathieu.
Mathieu is not directly identified in the court documents, but his lawyer, Denise White of EAG Sports, told KMBC 9 in Kansas City that references to "TM" in the filing are to the Chiefs safety.
White added that Mathieu is dealing with a "private and personal family issue."
Sears has been released on $25,000 bond, with the next court date set for June 21. His charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $5,000 fine.
Mathieu played for the Houston Texans in 2018 after five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He signed a three-year deal with the Chiefs in March.
The Chiefs and the NFL have not commented on the case.