The communication agency founded by Anne Méaux Image 7 was raided as part of the preliminary investigation for
"insider trading"
targeting the former CEO of the Orpea group, the agency confirmed on Thursday after the magazine
Challenges
revealed the information.
Read also“Our profession is frowned upon”: the blues of caregivers after the Orpea scandal
"This search was carried out as part of the procedure opened by the national financial prosecutor's office for insider trading because we are the communication agency of Orpea"
, we learned from a spokesperson. d'Image 7.
"We were asked to provide emails, but we were told that we were not in the procedure"
.
The PNF had confirmed in mid-February that it had opened an investigation on an indefinite date to study the resale of shares by the former general manager of the Orpea group, Yves Le Masne, before the publication of a scandalous book on abuse in Ehpad.
Le Canard enchaîné
had indicated on February 2 that Yves Le Masne, general manager of the group for more than ten years but who has since left his post, had sold shares in July for 588,000 euros
“just three weeks after the management of Orpea has been informed of the forthcoming publication
of
Victor Castanet 's book
Les fossoyeurs
.
This book accuses Orpea of serious shortcomings in the management of its nursing homes, which the group refutes.
In a press release sent to AFP by his lawyer on February 4, Yves Le Masne had
"strongly refuted any accusation of insider trading"
.
The former leader assured that the sale of
"about a third of (his) shares"
had
"nothing to do with the book by Mr. Castanet, which did not create any particular concern for us"
.
And he clarified that he had
“no reason”
to sell more shares,
“having full confidence in the future of the company”.
The 7,500 nursing homes in France will all be checked within two years and forced to be more transparent about their services and their use of public funds, the government announced in early March, hoping to
“restore confidence”
in a sector in turmoil .
after the publication of Victor Castanet's book.