Dominique Alderweireld, better known as "Dodo la Saumure," died on Tuesday, August 25, at the age of 77. The Frenchman, who had lived in Belgium for many years, became one of the most high-profile figures in the world of prostitution and gained national notoriety during the Carlton affair in Lille, in which Dominique Strauss-Kahn's name was also mentioned. Dominique Alderweireld died in Tournai, Belgium. He had been ill for several months and suffered from heart failure.
From brothel owner to media personality
Based in Belgium, Dominique Alderweireld had spent several years developing numerous prostitution-related establishments, primarily in the Tournai region and along the Franco-Belgian border. His nickname, "Dodo la Saumure" (Dodo the Brine), had become inseparable from his persona. The term played on the word "maquereau" (mackerel), which refers both to the fish preserved in brine and, in slang, to a pimp. Dominique Alderweireld made no attempt to keep a low profile. With his outspokenness, provocations, and numerous appearances on camera, he had cultivated a true media personality, publicly acknowledging his activities and making a series of provocative statements.
The Carlton affair in Lille propelled him to the forefront.
It was primarily the so-called Carlton affair in Lille that brought Dodo la Saumure to the public's attention in the early 2010s. The investigation focused on the organization of libertine parties attended by several prominent figures and businessmen. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, former managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was among those prosecuted in this case. Dominique Alderweireld himself appeared before the Lille criminal court on charges of aggravated pimping. The proceedings centered on the presence of prostitutes at some of the parties and the circumstances under which they were organized. Dodo la Saumure consistently denied providing prostitutes to Dominique Strauss-Kahn or his associates. In June 2015, he was finally acquitted in the Carlton affair, as was Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
Several run-ins with the law in Belgium
Although Dominique Alderweireld was acquitted in the Carlton case, his legal troubles extended far beyond that affair. In 2012, the Tournai criminal court sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, suspended, for pimping, in a case concerning, among other things, the activities of establishments he operated in Belgium between 2000 and 2009. The conviction was subsequently upheld on appeal. A few years later, he was again investigated by the Belgian justice system. He was detained in connection with an investigation into suspected human trafficking, pimping, and other offenses related to the operation of his establishments, before being released on bail.
A key figure in the Tournai region
Beyond his legal troubles, Dodo la Saumure had become a particularly well-known figure in Wallonia Picardy. His establishments were located in several towns in the Tournai region and along the French border. His media exposure extended far beyond this area after the Carlton affair. Recognizable by his appearance, his direct manner, and his often provocative statements, Dominique Alderweireld was regularly sought after by the French and Belgian media. He also recounted his life story in a book, * Moi, Dodo la Saumure* (Me, Dodo la Saumure) , published in 2013, in which he discussed his youth, his activities, and his run-ins with the law. Dominique Alderweireld died Tuesday morning in Tournai at the age of 77. A father, he had been ill for several months. His death brings to an end the career of one of the most controversial and media-savvy figures on the Franco-Belgian border, whose nickname will forever be closely associated with the Carlton affair in Lille.
