A new complaint has been filed against the former French boss Jacques Bouthier and his collaborators in Morocco, for "
sexual harassment
", and a seventh suspect, of French nationality, placed in police custody, announced Saturday the lawyers of plaintiffs.
“
In total, seven complaints are filed against (Jacques) Bouthier and his accomplices.
The victims have decided to break the law of silence and others will also follow
,” Me Abdelfattah Zahrach told AFP during a press conference in Tangier.
Until today, six Moroccans had filed a complaint.
Read alsoA former employee of Assu 2000 claims to have been dismissed after refusing the advances of Jacques Bouthier
“
A seventh suspect of French nationality has been taken into custody.
It will be presented during the day (Saturday) before the king's attorney general
,” said Aïcha El Guella, lawyer and president of the Moroccan Association for Victims' Rights (AMDV), which organized the press conference.
The alleged facts occurred between 2018 and April 2022
On July 6, five employees of Jacques Bouthier were detained following complaints from former employees of branches of the Assu 2000 group (renamed Vilavi) in Tangier.
A sixth defendant was released.
They are notably accused of “
trafficking in human beings
”, “
sexual harassment
”, “
indecent assault
” and “
verbal and moral violence
”, according to the lawyers for the complainants.
The alleged facts occurred between 2018 and April 2022 in Moroccan subsidiaries of the brokerage giant in France.
“
Jacques Bouthier and his collaborators are in fact an organized criminal gang
,” Me El Guellaa said on Saturday.
The ongoing investigation "
will reveal other victims and other accomplices
", she assured.
Several complainants reported systematic sexual harassment, threats and intimidation within the French company in Tangier.
Jacques Bouthier, a rich 75-year-old businessman, was indicted in May in Paris following a preliminary investigation opened in mid-March, with five other people, in particular for human trafficking and rape of minor.