Not all "Covid" aid fraudsters are seasoned scammers.
The proof, Badara M. sheepishly advances to the bar of the court.
Behind his mask, he slips almost imperceptibly: “I'm sorry.
"
This manager of a cleaning company was tried on Tuesday by the court of Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis) for scams in state aid provided to companies during the health crisis.
He received more than 56,000 euros in partial unemployment benefits and 4,500 euros in the context of the solidarity fund.
The fraudster was preparing to make a transfer of the 56,000 euros to an account… in Bulgaria.
He is therefore also prosecuted for money laundering.
It is a note from Tracfin, the body of the Ministry of Finance specializing in tracking down tax fraud and money laundering, which reported the facts last July to the Bobigny prosecutor's office.
In front of the investigators, the scammer explains having simply followed "a tutorial" on the Internet
In front of the investigators, the swindler had explained that it was enough for him to follow "a tutorial" on the Internet to have access to the public manna.
"It's incredibly easy," confirms Master Julien Dray, who describes his client rather as a "nickel-plated scam".
He himself tested the device and found "that by pressing three buttons, it was possible to obtain funds".
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Without being a seasoned swindler, Badara M. was therefore able to benefit from public credits in the simplest way possible.
He reactivated the cleaning company he had created in 2018 and which never worked.
He indicated that she employed 29 people… while he was alone on board.
The deception worked wonderfully.
Even if he had to make 13 requests to the solidarity fund before obtaining satisfaction.
Overnight, he found himself with 56,000 euros and then 4,500 euros in his account.
He admits it, contrite: “I needed the money.
My company had no activity, the names of the 29 employees were invented.
I wanted to know if it was going to pass.
"
"It's a blow to all those who get up early to go to work"
"I got scared when I saw the money in my account," he explained to investigators from the Clever Crime Suppression Squad.
He repeats the same thing in court: “I didn't want to touch the money because I was shocked.
“Arguments that are struggling to convince the magistrates.
"You still wanted to transfer the money to Bulgaria," the president pointed out to her, reminding her that currently "the French economy is collapsing, companies are shutting down, hospitals are overwhelmed ”.
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"It is a blow to all those who get up early to go to work," adds the substitute, who will require 18 months in prison including six months suspended, a ban on running a business for 5 years and the confiscation of sums .
The court went a little below the requisitions by sentencing him to 18 months in prison, six of which was closed, five years of ban from running a business, five years of ineligibility and a fine of 5,000 euros.
He will also be required to wear an electronic bracelet.
