Seddik Benbahlouli Sentenced to 20 Years for 'Gang de Roubaix' Crimes After 27-Year Fugitive Period

Seddik Benbahlouli, the last known member of the 'gang de Roubaix,' was sentenced to 20 years in prison on October 27, 2025, by the Nord Assize Court for his role in violent crimes committed in the 1990s. His conviction specifically addresses an attempted murder case from 1996 involving two police officers in Roubaix, where his DNA was found at the scene. This sentence matches the 20-year imprisonment he received in absentia in 2001, after fleeing France.

Benbahlouli evaded capture for nearly three decades, living under a false identity as a mechanic in the United States, primarily Philadelphia, until his arrest in 2023. Despite this, he refused to attend his trial, asserting that France has no jurisdiction over him. His defense lawyer argued that Benbahlouli was neither a member of the gang nor present during the shooting incident. The court dismissed the charge of criminal conspiracy but found him guilty of receiving a stolen vehicle alongside the attempted murder charge.

The 'gang de Roubaix' operated briefly in 1996, characterized by violent robberies aimed at financing Islamist causes, especially related to the Bosnian conflict. Surviving gang members previously testified linking their violent actions to this motivation. Though the gang employed extreme violence, their operations had an amateurish quality. Benbahlouli's conviction brings closure to a high-profile saga marked by long delays, witness losses, and evidentiary challenges yet underscores the lasting impact of these historic crimes on the victims.