Paris Court Acquits Former Canard Enchaîné Leaders of Fictitious Employment Charges
Paris court clears former Canard Enchaîné leaders of fictitious employment accusations after finding insufficient evidence.
- • Paris correctional court acquits three former Canard Enchaîné leaders and Edith Vandendaele of fictitious employment charges.
- • Court found insufficient evidence to prove Vandendaele's salary was unjustified despite her absence from the newsroom.
- • Charges including abuse of social goods, forgery, and fraudulent declarations were dismissed.
- • Critics plan to appeal, disputing the court's reliance on interpretive testimony.
Key details
On October 17, 2025, the Paris correctional court acquitted three former leaders of the satirical newspaper Canard Enchaîné—Michel Gaillard, Nicolas Brimo, and André Escaro—and Escaro's partner, Edith Vandendaele, on charges relating to fictitious employment and abuse of corporate assets. Vandendaele, who had been paid as a journalist from 1996 to 2022 with a monthly salary reportedly up to 5,600 euros net despite never being seen in the newsroom, was at the center of the allegations.
The court found that the case relied heavily on ambiguous declarations and interpretive claims which failed to establish that Vandendaele's remuneration was without legitimate basis or against the newspaper's social interest. Judge Claire Saas noted that the lack of physical presence in the office was "not decisive," given that remote work was common among other collaborators at the newspaper. Charges including fraudulent declarations for press cards, forgery, and fraudulent declarations to social organizations were also dismissed.
However, dissenting voices remain. Lawyer Me Pierre-Olivier Lambert, representing minority shareholders and journalist Christophe Nobili, criticized the ruling's reasoning and revealed intentions to challenge the decision on appeal.