More than 2,000 potential victims in an unlimited social contribution fraud, harm estimated at greater than 4 million euros | EUROtoday

Nearly 2,000 staff have been doubtlessly victims of huge social safety contribution fraud organized by short-term employment corporations, who allegedly did not pay greater than 8.9 million euros in fees, the nationwide gendarmerie revealed on Wednesday, December 4.

Four individuals have been indicted on the finish of January, and one in all them was positioned in pre-trial detention, following the arrest, on January 27, of seven individuals in Oise, Var and Bouches-du-Rhône, in line with a press launch from the gendarmerie. Nearly 400,000 euros of felony belongings have been seized, together with actual property, automobiles and money. Weapons have been additionally found throughout the searches.

This sprawling affair started in the beginning of 2025, when staff of a brief employment firm in Amiens taking steps with the Family Allowance Fund found that they weren’t declared.

The Union for the Recovery of Social Security Contributions and Family Allowances (Urssaf) then notes that no social declaration has been made for almost 1,000 staff paid by this Amiens firm, for harm estimated at 4.3 million euros between July 2024 and March 2025, in line with the nationwide gendarmerie.

Investigations proceed

The Central Office for the Fight towards Illegal Work (OCLTI) was contacted in April 2025. The first investigations recognized two males residing in Beauvais who have been canvassing corporations “in catering and public works”in line with a supply near the matter interviewed by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

They are suspected of getting supplied these corporations“escape paying social security contributions”in line with the gendarmerie press launch. Employees have been transferred to short-term employment corporations “fraudulent”whereas remaining at their put up. Their employers paid them within the type of providers via these short-term employment corporations, however the latter didn’t declare the salaries paid to Urssaf, particulars the gendarmerie.

The staff had “the illusion of being declared, false pay slips being given to them”specifies the gendarmerie. “The embezzled sums were invested in real estate abroad, particularly in Thailand and Morocco”in line with the identical supply.

A judicial investigation was opened in the beginning of January, underneath the authority of the Beauvais public prosecutor’s workplace, and the Oise gendarmes and the interministerial analysis group (GIR) of Amiens have been additionally seized. Investigators found different corporations prone to have dedicated related acts, headed by one of many principal suspects. Suspected accomplices, liable for the creation and administration of companies, have been recognized within the Var.

“In total, nearly 2,000 employees were allegedly abused, for more than 8.9 million euros in evaded charges”in line with the nationwide gendarmerie, including that investigations are persevering with to exactly set up the extent of the fraud. The Beauvais public prosecutor’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to requests from AFP.

Companies having used the providers of the fraudulent Amiens firm are additionally uncovered to felony prosecution in addition to “heavy adjustments by Urssaf”underlines the gendarmerie.