MANCHESTER United star Dimitar Berbatov is said to be comforting his mother today after she was targeted in an alleged kidnap plot. Cops have arrested a man in Bulgaria accused of threatening to abduct Berbatov's mum Margarita unless her family paid a ransom.
Local media reported that menacing emails had been sent to Margarita from the home of Petar Antonov, 38, in Blagoevgrad, south-western Bulgaria.
Anti-mafia police are said to be holding Antonov but have not yet charged him.
Antonov is reported to have told investigators that the kidnap plot was a joke sparked by articles about the Bulgarian ace, 31, in local magazines.
It is not the first time the �30million ace has been caught up in kidnap plots.
Last year there were reports that his younger brother Asen had gone missing after he was involved in an alleged ATM and credit card fraud.
The Manchester United star also had to flee his homeland two years ago after police warned him of a plan to snatch him and his girlfriend.
Berbatov was flown out of Sofia on a plane arranged by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
Mafia dons warned his lover Elena and daughter Dea were at risk unless he paid them �500,000.
Berbatov � kidnapped by the mafia when he was a rising star � is thought to have done a deal with clan bosses to leave his family alone.
In August Chelsea midfielder Jon Obi Mikel's dad was snatched by kidnappers in the Nigerian city of Jos.
The Nigerian international's dad was for ten days before he was released.
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