Paris Society group founder Laurent de Gourcuff sentenced to two years in prison for active corruption
Event heavyweight Paris society boss Laurent de Gourcuff was sentenced on Thursday 8 February to a twenty-four month suspended prison sentence and fined 150,000 euros for active corruption. Bosses of several dozen restaurants and nightclubs in France, including Maxim’s, Castel and Raspoutine Cabaret, were also banned from operating businesses for five years and sentenced to one year of disqualification.
His lawyers immediately announced that they would appeal the verdict at the Paris Criminal Court. During the trial, in November 2023, the prosecution requested 12 months of suspended prison time and a fine of 50,000 euros against 47-year-old Laurent de Gourcuff.
In 2018 the businessman was suspected of influence peddling and concealment of favoritism to win a twelve-year concession contract for Longchamp Racecourse, which included one restaurant in particular.
Gifts to France Gallop executives in exchange for information
He is accused of receiving privileged information during several meals with the marketing and sales director of the company that runs the racecourse, France Gallop. Laurent de Gourcuff may even have offered him a birthday dinner at one of his Parisian restaurants, as well as the possibility of a position as director of operations for all his establishments in Paris society. Fabrice F., a former executive of France Gallop, was sentenced to a twenty-four-month suspended prison sentence and fined 30,000 euros.
The affair began following a complaint by the Momma Group (Laperous, Le Boeuf sur le Toit, L’Hotel de la Marine, etc.), a company competing with the Paris Society. He also made an offer for Longchamp Racecourse which was not accepted. Considering the offer in favor of Laurent de Gourcuff’s company, Momma Group CEO Benjamin Patou filed a complaint before withdrawing it. Despite the withdrawal of this complaint, the courts decided to continue the proceedings.
During the trial, the public prosecutor thought that Laurent de Gourcuff and Frans Gallop’s marketing director “Passed willingly (his) responsibilities”, This prohibits informal contacts between various parties, regarding public procurement.
