They were supposed to protect the law, but they cynically circumvented it. This Thursday, March 27, a former judicial police officer (OPJ) in Seine-et-Marne and his partner, a police officer at Gare du Nord, appeared before the 10th chamber of the Paris judicial court for a vast fraud. The couple allegedly unduly received nearly 100 euros by producing false certificates intended to pay fictitious interpreting fees by the Ministry of Justice. "I needed money, I lost my footing," the former OPJ, since dismissed, says bluntly. In court, he admits his downfall: easy money, addiction to prostitutes and cryptocurrencies. The revelation of the scandal is as absurd as the setup: a simple sending error, a wrong click that exposed the entire scam in September 000.
A well-oiled system to the detriment of the taxpayer
The couple exploited the administrative red tape and slow payment of translators and interpreters, accustomed to delays and billing errors. Taking advantage of these loopholes, they billed bogus fees, collecting the money directly into their own pockets. The mechanism was simple but effective. Until the fatal error. The prosecution, emphasizing the extent of the harm and the dishonor caused by two police officers, requested a two-year suspended prison sentence for each. The verdict is now eagerly awaited, as a reminder that no one, especially not those supposed to ensure justice, is above the law.
