#White collar crime:

In Paris’ Criminal court, the surprising free construction works at an Ile-de-France’s mayor house

Since May 13, several elected representatives from the Ile-de-France region, as well as a former prefect are on trial in the Criminal Court of Paris for various offenses including concealment of misappropriation of corporate assets and influence peddling. Sinclair Vouriot, a mayor in the Seine-et-Marne department is suspected of having benefited from nearly 150.000 euros worth of construction works in his house, mainly paid by the real estate developer France Pierre, shortly before the latter was granted a permit by the mayor’s city for a real estate program. Another elected official from the same department, Jean-François Oneto, is suspected of having received approximately 500.000 euros in exchange for favorable decisions to the same company. The trial should end on June 20. > Read article

Karachi affair : Financial appeal trial opens in Paris

On Monday, June 3, thirty years after the events, the appeal trial of the Karachi affair opened in Paris. This trial, which is expected to last until June 20, takes place four years after the conviction of six defendants on June 15, 2020, to prison sentences ranging from two to five years. They were suspected of having played a role in a system of kickbacks linked to arms contracts to finance Edouard Balladur’s presidential campaign in 1995. These suspicions of hidden financing emerged following an investigation into a 2002 attack in Karachi, Pakistan. > Read article

Yvelines: the former manager of a Crédit Lyonnais branch suspected of a €6 million fraud

On December 14, 2023, the Crédit Lyonnais (“LCL”) in Villepreux, Yvelines, filed a complaint alleging fraud to the tune of six million euros. After a six-month investigation by the Versailles financial crime squad, investigators arrested the former branch manager on May 31. It was alleged that he had granted fraudulent property loans to customers who did not meet the conditions as well as using fictious identities. Some customers also claimed to have paid commissions to the former manager. Although his custody has been lifted, investigations are continuing. > Read article

Cash and “false pay increase”: investigation opened against the mayor of Grenoble and his first deputy

The Grenoble public prosecutor’s department announced on Wednesday June 5 that an investigation on “concussion and concealment of concussion” has been opened against Grenoble mayor Eric Piolle, his former first deputy Elisa Martin, who is now a LFI representative, and one of his close associates. Following revelations made by Le Canard enchaîné, the mayor of Grenoble is accused of having, between January 2017 and June 2020, increased the salary of a member of his staff by 600 euros, so that the latter would pay 400 euros in cash to the former first deputy. In total, a sum of 16,800 euros was allegedly not declared to the tax authorities. > Read article