Europe 1 with AFP // Photo credit: LOIC VENANCE / AFP 7:42 p.m., January 26, 2024
Several searches and hearings were carried out in France and in a few European countries in mid-January as part of a series of judicial investigations targeting Orpea, the private nursing home group. Opened in June 2023, this investigation concerns “aggravated breach of trust, aggravated misuse of corporate assets and aggravated money laundering”.
Searches and hearings were carried out in France and five European countries on January 11 and 12 as part of one of the judicial investigations targeting the Orpea group of private nursing homes, the Nanterre prosecutor's office told AFP on Friday.
Three former leaders of the group were indicted
This operation took place simultaneously in five European countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal) and in France, specifies the prosecution, adding that these operations were carried out as part of one of the judicial investigations targeting the group, came under the control of the Caisse des Dépôts after the scandal arising from the practices of its former management. This judicial information, opened on June 29, 2023, concerns "in particular the facts of aggravated breach of trust, aggravated abuse of corporate assets and aggravated money laundering", recalled the Nanterre prosecutor's office on Friday.
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As part of this procedure, three former leaders of the group were indicted. A rare occurrence in this type of financial case, two of them were placed in pre-trial detention on the same day. The group, suspected in particular of abuse, is the target of several legal proceedings. Latest: on November 22, 2023, the Nanterre public prosecutor's office opened another judicial investigation against
Orpea, present in 23 countries and which manages more than 350 establishments in France, has been in turmoil since the publication in January 2022 of an investigative book, “Les Fossoyeurs”, written by journalist Victor Castanet. He denounces mistreatment of residents, misuse of public funds and shortcomings in staff management.