Rapper Maes, currently imprisoned in Morocco, is at the center of an investigation with international ramifications. He is suspected of having orchestrated violent reprisals against several individuals from abroad, revealing persistent links between the French rap scene and organized crime.
A criminal case revealed by an investigative book
The book *L'Empire: enquête au cœur du rap français* (The Empire: An Investigation into the Heart of French Rap), published by Flammarion and authored by journalists Simon Piel, Paul Deutschmann, and Joan Tilouine, sheds a harsh light on the murky relationships between certain artists and organized crime. Among the cases discussed, that of Maes occupies a central place. The rapper, whose real name is Walid Georgey, is suspected of having planned acts of violence from Dubai, where he had gone into exile after tensions in his hometown of Sevran.
According to Le Monde, which dedicated a video to this aspect of the case, Maes's troubles began in 2020 when he was allegedly targeted by extortion attempts from individuals in his local circle. These pressures reportedly escalated into threats and actual violence, including the arson of vehicles during the filming of a music video. Refusing to back down, Maes allegedly retaliated, triggering a series of violent events, including a shooting.
Escape, reprisals and legal tensions
After these incidents, the rapper settled in Dubai with his family. But the tension didn't subside: his manager was killed during a trip to France. According to the investigation cited by France Inter, Maes then allegedly attempted revenge by ordering reprisals from abroad, using encrypted messaging services to contact individuals capable of carrying them out. These elements, considered "serious and consistent" by investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department and the Criminal Brigade, led to him being placed on Interpol's wanted list.
Alerted by the distribution of a red notice, Maes reportedly left Dubai for Morocco in early 2025. There, in Tangier, he was arrested in connection with another criminal case and placed in pretrial detention. Due to his dual French-Moroccan nationality, his extradition to France seems unlikely at this stage, as Morocco does not typically extradite its citizens to foreign jurisdictions.
The investigation also links this case to deadly shootings that occurred in May 2024 in Sevran and Aulnay-sous-Bois, where several victims were identified. This case highlights the close ties between certain French rap artists and criminal networks, in a context where the music industry's substantial revenues fuel greed.
