A counterfeit Rolex or a fake ID card? On the Telegram channel of “La Genèverie”, customers could obtain both or could consult a police file. This Friday, the Paris court handed down a colossal customs fine and prison sentences against eight defendants.
In total, around fifty offenses were accused of the eight defendants, including the sale of counterfeit goods, the importation of smuggled forgeries, money laundering, active corruption, and even assistance with illegal residence. The court went beyond the prosecution’s requisitions for prison concerning Julien V. (4 years including 18 months in prison required) but it remained below for Florian R. (six years in prison required). On the other hand, he dismissed the criminal fines requested by the public prosecutor for the two men (respectively 750,000 and 150,000 euros).
Julien V., main suspect
From November 2019 to February 2022, the main activity of “La Genèverie” was the sale of counterfeit jewelry and luxury watches. Then the services expanded: false identity cards, boat licenses, false credits or bank accounts, falsified health passes, access to police files… in exchange for cash, bank transfer and cryptocurrency.
For having managed the manufacture and delivery of fake watches from Asia, the court sentenced Julien V., 29, to an astronomical customs fine of 206 million euros, as well as four and a half years in prison. . The one who appeared detained without a lawyer during the trial in March would have produced 9,000 watches over the material period, according to the court judgment. From Thailand where he lived, he had several dealers, including “La Genèverie”.
Astronomical fines
The administrator of this platform, Florian R., 25 years old, was given 4 years of imprisonment to which is added the revocation of 8 months suspended from a previous conviction. He and the forger will also have to pay 200,000 euros to customs.
“The decision takes into account the factual elements of the case and is detached from the folklore of the investigation,” reacted his lawyer Me Marie Violleau. “The excessive demands from customs and watchmakers have been largely reduced, which is normal. I am relieved to know that my client will be able to think about the future,” she added.
At the hearing, customs requested 354.5 million euros (including around 3 million for Florian R.) based on the value of the counterfeit watches on the authentic market at the time of the events. The two men were ordered to pay six watch brands as plaintiffs (Rolex, Hublot, Chanel, etc.) 8,355 euros jointly, 2 million for Julien V. and 85,000 euros for Florian R.
Two deputy police officers sentenced
Six other defendants were tried alongside them, including two deputy police officers: they were sentenced to four years in prison, two of which were closed, and two years in prison, one of which was closed, with a permanent ban on practicing as a police officer. Sephora O. (31 years old) and Yassine G. (22 years old), who worked in police stations in the Paris region, were sanctioned for having sold files resulting in particular from the Criminal Records Processing (TAJ) and the Persons File wanted (FPR) – the second in a much smaller proportion.
Another defendant nicknamed “Volrys”, presented by the prosecutor as “the most important on the French market for false identity cards”, was sentenced to five years in prison including 16 months, with a fine of 20,000 euros. “It’s a satisfactory decision, adapted to his profile,” said his lawyer Me Irina Kratz.
His partner was sentenced to two years in prison, one year of which was suspended, and a suspended fine of 5,000 euros. Finally, two intermediaries were sentenced to nine months and two years in prison, with fines mostly suspended.