Kriti Mehrotra
Directed by Guillaume Nicloux, ‘Lords of Scam’ is a documentary film that delves deep into the VAT fraud on the EU carbon quota system, wherein scammers pocketed millions before they allegedly turned on each other. One of the individuals responsible for this con is Arnaud Mimran, a French businessman and financial broker who ultimately became known for being a specialist in swindling. And now, if you’re curious to learn more about him, his offenses, and his purported involvement in several other legal cases (including two homicides), we’ve got you covered.
Who is Arnaud Mimran?
Born in February 1972 to Moroccan-Jewish engineer Jacques Mimran and army secretary Michèle Mimran, Arnaud Mimran had a happy and stable childhood in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. Even though he had two siblings, the Mimran family not only never struggled to make ends meet, but they also had double or triple of everything to provide for the kids. Thus, it is no surprise that Arnaud had begun investing in the stock market when he was just a teenager. His interest in the field also led him to earn a postgraduate degree in finance and work in investment.
In 1998, Arnaud expanded his wings by setting up a brokerage business called 3ATrade, which succeeded in its operations almost as if by magic. Of course, this led many in the financial world to suspect foul play on his part. However, despite inquiries by the Stock Exchange Operations Commission, no evidence against him was ever discovered. In the end, owing to the endless suspicion, Arnaud sold his shares in the company for €30 million and took a break before finding his way back into finance in 2006. From there, he met Marco Mouly and got into carbon trading in 2008. He reportedly only played the role of investor initially, but it evolved.
Where is Arnaud Mimran Now?
Arnaud Mimran had a taste for poker and partying, yet it wasn’t portrayed in a bad light until his arrest in early 2015 because of his reputable background. In fact, for his son’s Bar Mitzvah in 2012, he’d sent an iPad as an invitation to each guest and got celebrities like Pharrell Williams, Puff Daddy, and Akon to perform. Eventually, on July 7, 2016, Arnaud was sentenced to pay a fine of €1 million and serve eight years in prison for his hand in stealing over €283 million in VAT payments in the carbon fraud with several others. He and Marco received the same penalty. So, as of writing, he remains behind bars in a facility operated by the French Ministry of Justice.
More importantly, Arnaud has been charged in three other cases. For the 2010 murder of Samy Souied, he has been indicted of murder in an organized gang. After all, the latter was one of his carbon fraud business partners, and they had a meeting on that fateful day because Arnaud was struggling to pay back the money he’d borrowed from him. For the 2011 assassination of his former father-in-law, Claude Dray, he’s been charged with accessory to murder, with rumors claiming that they had a falling out because Claude tried to expose Arnaud once he left his daughter.
Furthermore, on June 25, 2021, the former broker was sentenced to an additional 13 years for his involvement in the 2015 kidnapping and extortion of a Swiss banker. He has since appealed the verdict, and it seems like a new jury trial will be taking place soon. As per reports, Arnaud tried to take his own life following the guilty verdict earlier this year, but he’s okay now. He vehemently denies all the accusations of extortion, kidnapping, and murder against him.
Read More: Where is Dominique Ghez Now?
