Former French intelligence chief Bernard Squarcini was convicted for leveraging his government position to assist LVMH, facing a four-year prison sentence that includes house arrest and fines.
France’s Former Intelligence Head Sentenced in LVMH Surveillance Case
France’s Former Intelligence Head Sentenced in LVMH Surveillance Case
A Paris court sentences Bernard Squarcini for illegal surveillance activities benefitting the luxury brand LVMH, shedding light on corporate influence.
On March 7, 2025, a French court convicted Bernard Squarcini, the former head of France’s intelligence agency, for his involvement in a scandal linked to luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. The court determined that Squarcini misused public resources to protect LVMH’s reputation, imposing a four-year sentence—two years of house arrest, with an additional two years suspended, along with a hefty fine of 200,000 euros (around 217,000 dollars). His legal representative announced plans to appeal the decision.
The trial, which unveiled a disturbing illegal surveillance operation initiated by LVMH against journalist François Ruffin, drew considerable public attention. Ruffin, recognized for his critical documentary work, had begun filming an unflattering portrayal of the company and its CEO, the billionaire Bernard Arnault, back in 2012. During the trial, the judge unexpectedly summoned Arnault to testify, prompting a packed courtroom to hear the magnate describe his journey of elevating LVMH to the global leader in luxury goods, boasting 75 prestigious brands and a workforce of about 200,000, up from a mere 10,000 in the 1980s. Arnault maintained that he was oblivious to any illegal surveillance activities.
Squarcini was tried alongside nine others, including civil servants and police personnel, with two defendants ultimately acquitted. The ramifications of the case underscore the intersection of corporate power and public trust in France’s elite circles.
