“I have solid partners and I want to invest myself in AS Saint-Etienne for the long term. “On September 21, the Cambodian prince Norodom Ravichak (47) declared himself a candidate for the takeover of the Saint-Etienne club, via an interview with
to the RFI website. But Monday, day of submission of applications for resumption of the club, his file led to a complaint from ASSE for “use of forgery” and “attempted fraud” because the person would have provided a fraudulent financial document.
ASSE, which opened a disposal process last April, entrusted to the firm KPMG, issued a press release Monday evening: “Norodom Ravichak and his counsel Mr. Carlos Bejarano have provided a financial guarantee document of 100 million euros from a large international bank, which turns out to be a fake ”.
At least two offers received would be credible
“The shareholders therefore questioned their lawyers on the legal and judicial consequences resulting from the production of these false documents with a view to being authorized to participate in the transfer process,” continues ASSE. In view of their conclusions, it was resolved to file a complaint with the public prosecutor of Paris for acts of forgery, use of forgery and attempted fraud. “If the press release ensures that” the shareholders intend to continue the sale process in order to sell the club to an investor representing all the pledges of seriousness and the financial standing necessary to give ASSE the means to fulfill its legitimate ambitions “, The team explains this Tuesday that the sale could be postponed to 2022.
Despite offers deemed credible, such as that of Olivier Markarian, a businessman from Valence, and that of a fund based in Switzerland (with Canadian and Chinese investors), which would be carried by Jean-Michel Roussier and Mathieu Bodmer, Roland Romeyer and especially Bernard Caïazzo would indeed like to wait for the sporting situation (19th in Ligue 1) to improve, in order to increase the value of the club. It remains to be seen whether the Greens will move away from Ligue 2 by then.