Suspected of having swindled priests, he defends himself: "I didn't realize"

The trial of eight people suspected of defrauding thirty priests over a period of two years was held Monday in Le Havre.

The defendants, suspected of having committed these misdeeds all over France, have thus embezzled the sum of 150,000 euros.

To achieve this, one of them each time presumably passed himself off as a former parishioner in need.

Europe 1 was able to attend the hearing. 

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"I didn't realize"

Among the suspects in court on Monday are two twins.

One appears free, the other does not.

It is the latter who was the driving force of the organization, according to the president.

In the box, he has a very dark look.

When your turn to speak comes, you have to strain your ears to hear it.

The defendant chews certain words with a very pronounced Le Havre accent.

He gets annoyed quickly.

Asked about the 150,000 euros extorted, he replied with a black and muddy look: "I did not realize. At that time, I played a lot of poker. I did not realize."

During the discussions, we understand that the man smoked a lot and not just cigarettes.

He repeats, getting annoyed again: "I did everything on my own. I don't understand why you are involving my brother and my little sister."

The latter is also one of the defendants.

His twin brother tries to defend himself.

"I didn't know anything. I was coming out of a ten-year relationship. I was drunk all day. I didn't know," he says.

His little sister confirms and explains, in tears, having sometimes picked it up with a teaspoon.

In a tense atmosphere, the president recalls at the start of the hearing that the modus operandi used against the priests was a legacy bequeathed by the father to one of his sons, to whom he learned everything.

Judgment was expected in the evening.