France’s richest man, LVMH chief Bernard Arnault, testified Thursday in the influence-peddling trial of a former head of France’s domestic intelligence agency, denying any knowledge of an alleged scheme to protect the luxury group.
Bernard Squarcini, former head of the DCRI security service (since renamed the DGSI), is among 10 people on trial in Paris charged with using his security contacts for private gain, including obtaining confidential information for LVMH.
Squarcini faces 11 charges including influence peddling, misuse of public funds and compromising national security information.
“I would like to point out that I am here as a witness, a simple witness, and that my indictment was never considered by the investigating magistrates,” Arnault told the hearing.
“I was completely unaware” of the alleged scheme, he added.
The charges relate to the period when Squarcini…
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