Fraudsters at solidarity fund caught up by the patrol in Côte-d’Or!
the prosecutor of the Republic of Dijon Olivier Caracotch received this Wednesday, December 1, 8 complaints lodged by the regional public finance department (DGFiP) of the Bourgogne Franche-Comté region. If the justice remains evasive on the identity and the sectors concerned, the complaints concern bosses or companies of the department who cheated, with false statements to obtain the solidarity fund, distributed during the various confinements, between spring 2020 and spring 2021.
Already more than 170,000 euros diverted in Côte-d’Or
In total, just over 170,000 euros (170,372 euros) have already been embezzled in Côte-d’Or. A sum of public money which is likely to evolve, because other files are being studied by the DGFiP. But justice will respond with a repressive panel of sanctions: those prosecuted face up to 7 years in prison, 700,000 euros fine and a ban on exercising an activity. A ceiling justified by the prosecutor of the Republic of Dijon Olivier Caracotch who wants to go quickly “It’s important to respond quickly to show that what was implemented was to save businesses and not to enrich delinquents.”
“It’s important to respond quickly to show that what was implemented was to save businesses and not to enrich delinquents.” Olivier Caracotch, the prosecutor of the Republic of Dijon.
Any other complaints to come?
The stakes are potentially higher: if the courts have received 8 fraud complaints so far, 251 Côte-d’Or businesses are closely monitored by Public Finances. They may also have defrauded the state on the solidarity fund, for a potential sum ofa total amount of 2.1 million euros!
Overall, fraud still remains marginal: 13,899 companies have received money in the department through the solidarity fund. The bosses have for the most part played the game in the image of Célia Beltrand, who runs a costume jewelry store “Lili in shambles” Rue des Godrans in Dijon: “I may have a naive mindset but I didn’t think about it. By the time my store closed, I was just wondering how I was going to be able to open again.”
If you receive a letter from the General Directorate of Public Finances, you have 15 days to return the excess money you received with the solidarity fund.
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