Laurent de Gourcuff, boss of the event heavyweight Paris Society, was sentenced to twenty-four months suspended prison sentence and a fine of 150,000 euros for active corruption, Thursday February 8. The boss of several dozen restaurants and nightclubs in France such as Maxim’s, Castel and the Raspoutine cabaret, was also sentenced to a ban on managing a business for five years and a one-year ineligibility sentence.
His lawyers immediately announced that they would appeal the judgment of the Paris Criminal Court. During the trial, in November 2023, the prosecution requested twelve months of suspended prison time and a fine of 50,000 euros against Laurent de Gourcuff, 47 years old.
The businessman was suspected of influence peddling as well as concealment of favoritism with a view to winning a twelve-year concession contract for the Longchamp racecourse in 2018, which notably included a restaurant.
Gifts to a France Galop executive in exchange for information
He is accused of having received privileged information during several meals with the marketing and sales director at the time of the company managing the racecourse, France Galop. Laurent de Gourcuff would also have offered him a birthday dinner in one of his Parisian restaurants, as well as the prospect of a position as director of operations for all of his establishments within Paris Society. Former France Galop executive Fabrice F. was sentenced to a suspended prison sentence of twenty-four months and a fine of 30,000 euros.
The affair began following a complaint from Moma Group (Lapérouse, le Bœuf sur le Toit, l’Hôtel de la Marine, etc.), a company competing with Paris Society. It had also made an offer for the Longchamp racecourse which was not accepted. Considering the offer from Laurent de Gourcuff’s company favored, Benjamin Patou, CEO of Moma Group, then filed a complaint before withdrawing it. Despite this withdrawal of the complaint, the courts decided to continue the proceedings.
During the trial, the public prosecutor considered that Laurent de Gourcuff and the marketing director of France Galop were “voluntarily passed over [leurs] obligations “, concerning this public procurement, prohibiting informal contacts between the different parties.