France’s former intelligence chief accused of spying for Louis Vuitton billionaire

Mr Arnault, 75, who is the world’s fifth richest person with a fortune of $156bn (£123bn) according to Forbes, is not facing any charges.

So does his giant conglomerate, whose other brands include Christian Dior and Tiffany & Co. LVMH paid a €10 million fine to prevent further legal action in 2021.

The billionaire insisted he knew nothing about the incident when questioned as a witness in 2019, but his name is at the forefront of the 237-page indictment.

Mr Squarcini is accused of asking Christian Flaesch, the former head of Scotland Yard in France, in 2013 to send him documents related to Hermès’ legal complaint while he was in the middle of a “purse war” with LVMH.

Flaesch was fined and given a suspended prison sentence for turning over the documents in February.

Protecting the businessman ‘in the name of national interests’

Mr. Squarcini denied any wrongdoing and told the judges that protection was itself a matter of national interest, given Mr. Arnault’s wealth and international influence.

But Justices Aude Buresi and Virginie Tilmont said protecting Mr. Arnault’s “purely private interests” did not mean “protecting (France’s) economic prosperity.”

They said DCRI “should not have intervened in this context.” The judges added that Mr Squarcini’s actions “caused harm” to the institution and the French state more broadly.

Lawyers Benjamin Sarfati and Laure Heinich, acting on behalf of Mr Ruffin, said: “This case should enable us to understand how it is possible in France today for a company such as LVMH to allow the surveillance of a journalist and the infiltration of a newspaper by a former senior who was ultimately the head of domestic intelligence.” officer’s assistance.”

They argued that it was still unclear how the LVMH group was able to “take advantage” of a judicial agreement that “allowed it to evade justice, allowing only Bernard Squarcini and others involved in this incident to appear in court.”

The trial continues.