Minister’s mask, false e-mail, alleged ransom … the false Le Drian scam is currently before the courts. Wednesday, February 12, the prosecution demanded ten and fourteen years in prison, as well as a total of 4 million euros in fines against two men suspected of having been the brains of a scam consisting in usurp the identity of the former Minister of Defense, now Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Prosecutor asked for the heaviest sentence for Gilbert Chikli, 54, considered to be theone of the pioneers of the phone scam said to “False president”. For him and his co-accused, Anthony Lasarevitsch, 35, she also demanded a fine of 2 million euros. Unlike the five other defendants aged 27 to 49, one of whom was absent at trial, she requested sentences ranging from 6 months to 5 years in prison, finding that they were complicit in having, in particular , opened fraudulent accounts or carried out money laundering.
55 million euros
Between 2015 and 2017, scammers pocketed around 55 million euros by posing as the Minister of Defense in the Hollande government. At the time, the perpetrators contacted leaders, business leaders and NGOs, asking them for financial assistance for “Secret operations” of the French state. They explained that they needed funds to discreetly pay a ransom for hostages in Syria or to finance the fight against terrorism, promising immediate reimbursement by the Banque de France.
According to the prosecution, more than one hundred and fifty targets have been approached, including the President of Gabon Ali Bongo, Sidaction, the CEO of the Lafarge group and the Archbishop of Paris. Three victims fell into the trap, including one of the greatest Turkish fortunes, Inan Kiraç, who lost 47.4 million dollars (45 million euros during the time), and the spiritual leader of the Muslims Ismaili Shiites, Karim Aga Khan IV, from which 7.7 million euros were extorted.
Voice as a weapon
“It’s like a robbery, a hold-up, except that it’s done on the phone, without violence”, described Alice Chérif in her requisitions. “In the end, it is the same result as a heist except that the weapon is the voice”.
She portrayed the two main defendants, who proclaimed their innocence throughout the trial, like a “Duo” : on the one hand Mr. Chikli, the “King of unpacking, the one who exposes himself”, on the other Mr. Lasarevitsch, “The man in the shadows, the organizer”. “The defense of the defendants explodes and breaks up on the solidity and the reality of the evidence”, which she says “Abound in the file”.
“Bold”, “Clever”, “Exceptional” : qualifiers “Too positive” were joined to the facts, also said the magistrate. “It’s immoral, it’s pathetic, intolerable, unacceptable, not to say infamous and sordid”, she insisted. “Behind the millions, there are people who are broken, who have lost all confidence in themselves. “
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