Following the police raid carried out by the Central Racing and Gaming Service (SCCJ) on the Casino Partouche in Cannes, which led to the arrest of two managers of the establishment, the casino group has decided to file a complaint against the head of the control service .
The bosses of France’s second-largest casino company have denounced the disastrous communication surrounding the operation and cited a relentless attack on its interests. This is an unprecedented case!
Two complaints in the middle of a judicial investigation
It was never really a honeymoon between the Partouche group and the SCCJ. But the disagreements between the two parties reached their peak on March 11, during the incredible search carried out by the control service agents in the Pasino in Cannes .
Concluding a weeks-long investigation into suspected misuse of corporate assets, the raid led to the arrest of two of the establishment’s managers. But to the astonishment of the Partouche group’s executives, the entire operation was filmed by an M6 camera.
So much so that that same evening, the whole of France was aware of the affair, which the press was making a killing on. Worse, a week after the events, Philippe Ménard, head of the SCCJ, gave an interview to France Bleu, in which he mentioned a potential administrative closure of the Cannes Casino against a backdrop of embezzlement . Meanwhile, the Partouche share price plummeted, causing a capitalization loss of 65 million euros .
This was too much for the leaders of the Partouche group, who decided to file two complaints . The first, filed against an unknown person, concerns a violation of the confidentiality of the investigation; the Partouche group being convinced that the presence of a journalist, camera in hand, at the scene of the operation, was not the result of chance. As for the second, it is filed directly against Philippe Ménard, for defamation.
>>> Also read: » The Partouche casinos and the SCCJ are at loggerheads «
Heated debates between the two parties
Responding to the summons to appear on Tuesday, October 16, the head of the SCCJ and his lawyer faced Fabrice Paire, chairman of the board of the Partouche group, and his lawyer.
A meeting that was clearly not the most cordial. Throughout the hearing, Commissioner Ménard consistently demonstrated his impartiality in handling the investigation against the casino giant, dismissing any intention to harm Partouche’s image.
Reflecting on his interview that prompted the complaint, he stated that he wanted to explain his department’s approach. Maintaining his position, Fabrice Paire, for his part, pointed out the existence of previous conflicts between his group and the regulatory service that could explain the hostility with which the case was allegedly handled.
According to the representative of the Partouche group, the operation could have been carried out under completely different conditions, and the communication surrounding it was completely inappropriate.
Verdict on December 18, 2018
Believing that the actions of the Partouche group were purely and simply aimed at ejecting him from his position, Philippe Ménard’s lawyer pleaded for his client’s acquittal and requested compensation of €5,000 for abusive proceedings.
As for the Partouche group and its partner in charge of managing the Casino 3.14 in Cannes (the CCC company), they are each claiming the sum of €10,000 in damages.
The plaintiffs also requested the immediate removal of the interview broadcast by France Bleu, as well as the publication of a judicial statement on the case. The winner of this unprecedented duel will have to wait until December 18, the date of the judgment.
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