A businessman facing fraud allegations has been arrested in Paris following a scheme involving 178 secretaries. The individual, identified as Grimaud, a civil engineer and inventor, reportedly placed an advertisement seeking confidential secretaries with a unique contractual condition requiring each applicant to deposit a security sum.
According to reports, Grimaud offered a monthly salary of 2,000 francs plus a share of profits to prospective secretaries. However, applicants were also required to provide a security deposit ranging between 20,000 and 30,000 francs. Over time, 178 individuals responded to the offer and paid the security deposit, collectively providing Grimaud access to approximately 4 million francs.
Complications arose when Grimaud failed to pay the promised salaries to the secretaries. In response, the secretaries formed an association to protect their financial interests. Initially, the group agreed to allow Grimaud additional time to develop his business ventures in the hope that they would eventually recover their investments and potentially benefit from the anticipated profits.
The arrangement unraveled when one secretary dissented and reported the case to authorities, leading to Grimaud’s arrest on suspicion of fraud. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the alleged financial misconduct and the methods used to solicit funds from such a large number of individuals under the guise of legitimate employment contracts.