Searches in France as part of a Belgian investigation into Bernard Tapie
The investigation opened in Belgium concerns, in particular, suspicions of misuse of corporate assets and offenses linked to the state of bankruptcy.
UA judicial inquiry opened in Belgium about Bernard Tapie led to searches on Wednesday in France, Paris and Saint-Tropez, RTBF reported on Friday on its information portal.
The French businessman Bernard Tapie is suspected of financial offenses, in a file of the federal prosecutor, which confirms the information.
RTBF has learned that Belgian investigators from the central office for the fight against organized economic and financial crime (OCDEFO) and a federal magistrate are particularly interested in a villa in Saint-Tropez.
This is owned by South Real Estate Investment (SREI), a Luxembourg subsidiary of the Belgian company “GBT Holding” of Bernard Tapie. However, this company was put into compulsory liquidation by the Liège enterprise court in December 2018. As for the SREI, it was declared bankrupt in September 2020. The investigation opened in Belgium concerns in particular suspicions of abuse corporate property and bankruptcy related offenses.
The investigation also relates to the role of facilitator allegedly played by Lucien D’Onofrio, former vice-president of the Standard de Liège football club, in the purchase of the villa in question.