Of this once “flourishing” group, nothing remains. “The rise and fall of a money-making company”, said one of the defense lawyers. Those of a family maritime agency established at the fishing port, now liquidated after disastrous management.
The aging patriarch of the family left the keys to the group to his daughter a few years ago. He died shortly after, during the Covid epidemic. His wife had died a few months earlier.
The situation of the family business deteriorated rapidly. Their daughter did not keep any real accounts and happily confused the company’s account with her own for amounts of several tens of millions of francs. She had also significantly increased her salary, bringing it to 925,000 francs.
Meanwhile, debts were piling up. The company’s liquidator, who finally intervened, noted 122 million francs in debts, including 84 million owed to the Port Autonome.
“When he – the former boss, Editor’s note – was there, the atmosphere was good. He gave us a lot of advice. When he left, I felt the company was coming to an end. She was the one who managed the finances”, testified a sales representative from the company. “He didn’t want to believe his daughter was doing anything with the funds”, also declared the accountant.
Absent for medical reasons, the defendant was unable to be heard by the magistrates. In police custody, she admitted the facts, but also explained that certain transfers corresponded to advances she had made to the company. And others intended for the care of his sick parents.
“It’s absolute waste”
The prosecutor
“It’s all about what happened to them. All our actions were for the care and equipment intended for them. I acknowledge that I used money for personal purposes, but I do not agree with the amounts”, she told investigators.
“Il there are transfers to his personal account, but it is not to lead a luxurious life”, argued her lawyer according to whom her client is not responsible for the death of the company: “She didn’t act behind her dad’s back. The whole family found itself in difficulty. The dad was fully aware of the system which was put in place out of necessity”.
An opinion diametrically opposed to that of the prosecutor. “It is the story of an undoubtedly flourishing company which sees itself plundered by offspring incapable of managing anything for extremely significant amounts (…) I find this story extremely sad. It’s accounting anarchy. There are elements of bankruptcy. It’s absolute waste”, whispered the magistrate.
For bankruptcy and misuse of property, the defendant was sentenced to 3 years’ suspended prison sentence as well as a permanent ban from managing a business. She will also have to repay the creditors of the disappeared family company.
