The furniture fraud that hoodwinked the Palace of Versailles
Who was behind the scam
A remarkable furniture collection valued at 10 million euros was allegedly stolen from the Palace of Versailles by a former security supervisor working with an international criminal network. The collection, passing as genuine Louis XIV furniture, was sold to secretive overseas buyers, with the fraud remaining undetected for years.
The investigation
Following a tip-off, French police launched an investigation into the trafficking of the stolen furniture in April 2021. The investigation uncovered an elaborate scheme in which the former security supervisor, Eric Fouquet, had systematically stolen and sold historic furniture for nearly a decade.
The impact of the scandal
The scandal has shone a light on the lack of protections for France's cultural heritage and has spurred calls for greater oversight of historical artifacts at the palace.
The aftermath
Eric Fouquet and his accomplices were convicted of organized fraud and handling stolen goods and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to five years.
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