Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, president of Paris Saint-Germain, has been indicted for alleged complicity in vote buying and abuse of power linked to a 2018 investigation involving Arnaud Lagardère. The case raises questions about a potential quid pro quo related to a significant vote shift by the Qatar Investment Authority. Al-Khelaïfi, who claims to have had minimal involvement, previously faced corruption charges that were dismissed. He is also under investigation for other serious allegations, which he denies.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi Faces New Indictment
Once again, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi finds himself in the spotlight as the president of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has been indicted in connection with an investigation probing potential fraudulent activities by Arnaud Lagardère in 2018. The investigation centers around an alleged effort to manipulate a crucial vote that would benefit Lagardère’s group, backed by the Qatari fund. This information was confirmed by a judicial source on February 13, following initial reports from a source close to the case.
Details of the Indictment
The 51-year-old Qatari entrepreneur is facing charges of complicity in vote buying and violations of voting freedom, along with complicity in abuse of power, as per the judicial source. It is important to note that he is not currently under judicial control.
A source affiliated with Al-Khelaïfi emphasized that “this case has absolutely and manifestly nothing to do with Nasser Al-Khelaïfi,” suggesting that he is being unfairly linked to the situation due to his high-profile status.
Questions surrounding a possible quid pro quo have emerged regarding this case, which consists of two main components. The first part involves Lagardère, who is accused of misusing up to 125 million euros from his companies for personal expenses over several years. The second part focuses on Al-Khelaïfi and events that transpired in 2018, a period marked by a power struggle between Vincent Bolloré, who is allied with Amber Capital, and Bernard Arnault of LVMH, who supported Lagardère.
On April 24, 2018, Qatar Holding LLC, a branch of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) sovereign fund, initially sided with Amber Capital’s proposals. However, just five days later, the sovereign fund changed its vote, aligning with Lagardère’s governance proposals. In September 2018, Jamal Benomar, a British-Moroccan diplomat with connections to Doha, was appointed as an ‘independent member’ of the supervisory board of Lagardère SCA, which has raised suspicions of a quid pro quo among investigators.
During his appearance before the magistrates on February 5, Al-Khelaïfi expressed his astonishment at the summons, stating that he had no involvement in the case beyond forwarding a call related to a Qatari issue. He described his role as limited and merely a conduit for communication.
In the background, Lagardère, who once led a significant media and aerospace empire, was acquired by Vivendi, a media and publishing powerhouse controlled by billionaire Vincent Bolloré, after a contentious battle that concluded in November 2023.
Previously, Al-Khelaïfi was indicted for corruption related to Qatar’s bids for the World Athletics Championships in 2017 and 2019. However, this indictment was dismissed by the Court of Cassation in early 2023, which ruled that the French judiciary lacked the jurisdiction to prosecute him.
Moreover, Al-Khelaïfi is under investigation in other matters, including serious allegations of kidnapping and sequestration made by Franco-Algerian lobbyist Tayeb Benabderrahmane. Al-Khelaïfi has denied these claims and has filed a counter-complaint for blackmail, while former employees of ‘NAK’ have also lodged complaints against him for issues such as concealed work.