Bernard Arnault will have to cut short his trip abroad. On Thursday morning, November 28, a few hours before his initially planned return, the LVMH CEO is expected to appear before the Paris criminal court as a witness in the trial against Bernard Squarcini, former head of internal intelligence, and others. nine people. people, announced the president of the court, Benjamin Blanchet, on the first day of the trial, Wednesday, November 13. The ten accused They are accused of prevention charges ranging from “illegal exercise of private investigation agent” to “passive influence peddling”, mainly in relation to the missions entrusted to Mr. Squarcini by the luxury group.
Arnault will have to answer the judges’ questions about his possible knowledge of the surveillance and infiltration operation carried out by his group between 2013 and 2016, for the modest sum of 400,000 euros, according to the newspaper. Fakir and its co-founder, François Ruffin. Then Mr Ruffin, a journalist (who has since become an MP (several left-wing) for the Somme), prepared a documentary in 2013, Thanks boss!, whose main protagonists were a couple of workers fired by a subcontractor of the LVMH group. He was also planning to film a peaceful activist action at the general shareholders meeting.
Reputational risk
The general director of LVMH had already appeared as a witness in 2019 before the General Inspection of the National Police (IGPN). He then stated that Bernard Squarcini worked under the authority of his right-hand man, Pierre Godé, who died in January 2018, and that he knew nothing of his vice president’s requests. However, several exchanges that appear in the file attest to contacts between “Squale” and Bernard Arnault’s secretary.
Arnault is unlikely to change his story in court. His presence, however, is theoretically mandatory: it is due to a summons requested by François Ruffin. But if the Criminal Procedure Code provides for financial sanctions and the issuance of a court order in case of absence without legitimate reason, or even a postponement of the trial, these provisions are not systematically applied if the witness has already been heard during the procedure. . However, the reputational risk of being escorted to court by police officers remains for Bernard Arnault, head of a listed group.
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