Energy Renovation Scam Exposed: Millions Swindled in French Housing Scheme

The defendant is said to have filed 14 false applications with ANAH between 2021 and 2023, which finances the "MaPrimeRénov’" scheme aimed at accelerating the energy renovation of the housing stock in France, allowing him to pocket the sum of 2.1 million euros. The scam was uncovered a few months ago by the manager of one of the suspect’s subcontractors, who found that the name of his company based in Puteaux (Hauts-de-Seine) had been used to establish false estimates and false invoices to file applications with ANAH. "These forged documents, estimates, invoices and letters, would have allowed the usurper to benefit from funds allocated by the State for renovation work in private homes," says a source close to the case to Le Parisien. Alerted, the agency forwarded the information to the Créteil prosecutor’s office, which ordered the opening of an investigation.

The investigations carried out by the financial group of the departmental judicial police service of Val-de-Marne (SDPJ94) confirmed that the suspect’s company had usurped the name of the company of his former partner in Puteaux to carry out renovation work with households. "The majority of these owners of detached houses had never requested a diagnosis and had not even carried out any work," the same source specifies. In total, 353 false files were counted. Of the 2.1 million euros that were paid to them into various bank accounts, the suspect’s company received more than 700,000 euros between January 2021 and November 2023. These funds, of which he only declared a small part to the tax authorities, "allowed him to acquire several real estate properties," adds the source.

Summoned on September 15 last at the police headquarters in Créteil (Val-de-Marne), the suspect was taken into custody. During the interrogation, he acknowledged having used the funds from his company to buy real estate, but claims he did nothing illegal. The mason also mentioned an accomplice who would run a call center in Morocco, claiming that it was the latter who had filed the fraudulent files with ANAH. Presented to the investigating judge, the suspect was released under judicial supervision. As part of this case, the justice system seized two detached houses, in Tremblay-en-France and Clichy-sous-Bois (Seine-Saint-Denis). It should be noted that the "MaPrimeRénov’" scheme, temporarily closed in June, should reopen on September 30.