The French foreign minister’s son was arrested on suspicion of forgery, fraud and money laundering yesterday.
The 34-year-old Thomas Fabius, who is known for his love of casinos and glamorous women, was taken into custody after police raided his 280sq m flat on the Left Bank in Paris.
He was once reported to have staked €3 million at the casino in Monte Carlo.
As they searched the property in Paris’ literary Left Bank on Tuesday morning, Laurent Fabius, his father, was receiving rapturous applause in France’s National Assembly for his part in clinching an historic global
His son has insisted he paid for his flat with €8 million in gambling winnings he amassed in 2011-12 in Monaco, America and Cyprus after spending €13 million in casinos.
But France’s financial fraud squad cited the “dubious provenance of funds” that passed via two London gambling clubs, Crown Aspinalls and Les Ambassadeurs.
It also questioned the affluent lifestyle of the failed businessman – a regular in Saint Tropez night spots.
The 34-year-old is also wanted in the United States for allegedly spending $3.5 million in a Las Vegas gambling frenzy on May 15, 2012 only for the casinos to see his cheques bounce. His father was appointed foreign minister the following day.
