False projects but a real scam.
Tuesday morning, a man in his forties was arrested in Compiègne (Oise), suspected of having defrauded 46 people in Île-de-France and Oise since the end of 2019. All for a total amount estimated at more of 200,000 euros.
Disabled this Wednesday afternoon before a prosecutor, the individual was "placed under judicial control pending judgment at a later date," said Marie-Céline Lawrysz, prosecutor of the Republic of Compiègne.
Recently convicted of rather trivial acts of fraud, the individual had nevertheless remained on the radar of the Compiégnois investigators.
“We had received quite a few complaints about him.
And after looking at his bank accounts, we noticed irregularities, ”relates one of them.
As part of further investigations, the police officers of the property crime group discovered that the man had organized a whole system to extract money, and this in the usual way, through a fake company. of works that did not appear on any official register.
Sums ranging from 1,600 to 33,000 euros
For two years, he is suspected of having offered his services to individuals for earthworks,
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advertising on social networks or word of mouth.
Once in contact with his target, the contractor would sign pre-contracts and quotes and sometimes start work in exchange for an advance on the upcoming site.
Problem: once the money was in his pocket, the alleged crook gave no sign of life.
Depending on the customers and the work requested, he collected sums “ranging from 1,600 to 33,000 euros,” says Marie-Céline Lawrysz.
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Liancourt, Trosly-Breuil, Maisons-Alfort (Val-de-Marne), Tremblay-en-France (Seine-Saint-Denis)… With the help of an accomplice who managed his professional agenda, he is suspected of having raged in several communes of Oise and Île-de-France.
On the sidelines of his arrest, six other people were taken into police custody.
Among them, we find the wife and father of the respondent suspected of having helped him in this small business.
As for the other four, they are employees who will ultimately be considered victims at trial, where the alleged mastermind of this scam will also be tried for covert work.