Several high-ranking officers of the French army will appear before the Paris Criminal Court on Monday, September 9, 2024. Eight soldiers and a subcontractor, the logistics company ICS, are being prosecuted on suspicion of corruption and favoritism. The court accuses them of having overcharged several logistics contracts in the 2010s, particularly concerning air transport, for external operations of the French army.
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Among the defendants, the former chief of staff of the Center for Military Support and Transport (CSOA). This Colonel appeared for favouritism, passive corruption, violation of professional secrecy and illegal taking of interests. Also in the dock, the president of the company International Chartering Systems (ICS).
It was a report from the Court of Auditors that revealed the affair. In 2016, studying the cost of external operations, the magistrates of Rue Cambon questioned the additional cost of the services offered by the ICS company to transport military logistics.
Suspicions of favouritism for more than 16 million euros
At that time, the French army regularly used the very large Antonov 124 carriers, a rare resource, implemented by two external service providers. These aircraft were chartered either by the ICS company or by Salis, the support agency of theNATO. Except that ICS bills are much heavier.
The investigations have brought to light suspicions of favouritism for an estimated additional cost of more than 16 million euros, with, in the balance, at least one promise of hiring by ICS of one of the accused. A case of alleged corruption and favouritism which leaves a stain, while each euro will be weighed when the time comes to draw up the State budget.
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