French businessman Bernard Tapie, 76, is set to face criminal charges in a long-running dispute involving a 1993 corporate transaction and a controversial 2008 state compensation settlement. The case, which includes a 2018 photo of Tapie, has drawn political and business figures into its complex legal history.
The conflict originated in 1993 when Credit Lyonnais, a state-owned bank, acquired Tapie's stake in Adidas. The bank later sold its shares at a higher price, prompting Tapie to allege fraud. A 2008 agreement under then-Finance Minister Christine Lagarde awarded him 403 million euros ($453 million), but a 2015 court ruling ordered its return, a decision confirmed in 2017.
Tapie, undergoing cancer treatment, faces fraud and misuse-of-public-funds charges. He has suspended medical care to remain lucid during the trial. "This trial is one of the most important moments of my life," he said. "What matters to me is that we establish, resoundingly, that I was not the crook."
Six individuals, including Orange CEO Stephane Richard, will stand trial. Richard, Lagarde’s former chief of staff, is accused of concealing details of the compensation deal. His lawyer called the allegations "baseless" and said he would clarify his position in court. The French government warned a conviction could force Richard’s resignation.
The trial, scheduled to conclude on April 5, carries potential penalties of up to seven years in prison and fines of 375,000 euros. Lagarde was previously convicted in 2016 of negligence related to the affair but avoided jail or fines.
