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Bernard Tapie at the inauguration of Campus Altice, on October 9, 2018, in Paris. REUTERS / Philippe Wojazer / Photo File

This is the epilogue of a file that has been running for more than 10 years. This Tuesday, the Paris Criminal Court renders its deliberations in the Tapie case. The former businessman is being prosecuted for fraud and embezzlement of public funds in the controversial arbitration case to settle his dispute with Credit Lyonnais. At the trial, the prosecutor's office had required five years in prison.

Bernard Tapie cheated to get more than 400 million euros in 2008?
This is the question answered Tuesday the Criminal Court of Paris.

This case is that of the arbitration with the Credit Lyonnais for which a sort of court had been private set up to settle the dispute between the businessman and the bank. By his side, Bernard Tapie had won 403 million euros 11 years ago. But soon, doubts arose about the impartiality of the referees.

With in the first rank, the high magistrate Pierre Estoup, suspected of being a close friend of the Tapie clan and having thus interceded in his favor. It was for this supposed cheating that the prosecution required five years of firm prison against Bernard Tapie and three years against Pierre Estoup.

But the case does not stop there. Stephane Richard, the current head of Orange, is also pursued and risk eighteen months firm. He would have used his function at the time, secretary of cabinet of the Minister of Finance Christine Lagarde, to allow the holding of this arbitration. Christine Lagarde, who has just been appointed to the European Central Bank (ECB), has already been tried in this case and convicted for negligence , but she was released from punishment.