Bernard Squarcini, the former intelligence chief of France, faced a Paris court's verdict on Friday, resulting in his conviction for abusing his power to benefit LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the luxury conglomerate. Squarcini, who led France's spy agency from 2008 to 2012, accepted a consulting role with LVMH post-retirement. The court's decision handed him a four-year prison sentence, split between two years under house arrest and two years suspended, along with a hefty fine of 200,000 euros (about 217,000 dollars). His legal team has announced plans to appeal the ruling.
The court uncovered Squarcini's involvement in an unusual illegal surveillance scheme orchestrated by LVMH, targeting journalist François Ruffin, who was in the process of documenting a critical film on the company and its CEO, Bernard Arnault, in 2012. Notably, the company itself was not listed as a defendant in the case. A dramatic turn occurred during the trial when the presiding judge requested testimony from Arnault, who articulated his endeavors to make LVMH a leading global luxury brand, now boasting 75 brands and approximately 200,000 employees. During the proceedings, he denied knowledge of any illegal spying tactics.
Squarcini was tried alongside nine other individuals, including civil servants and police officials, with two defendants being acquitted.
