French-Moroccan Man Ordered to Repay €4,125 in Benefits After Trips to Visit Sick Daughter in Morocco

He said he traveled to Morocco to see his sick young daughter, with his doctor’s authorization. But his repeated trips eventually drew the attention of the Rhône Family Allowance Fund (CAF). After reviewing his bank statements, the agency demanded repayment of €4,124.97 in benefits received between 2022 and 2023. The French-Moroccan father challenged the decision in court, citing, among other things, his child’s health and his own financial situation.

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The case dates back to an audit carried out in May 2024. The man, who received the disability benefit for adults (AAH) and personalized housing assistance (APL), was summoned to the CAF offices. Officials wanted to understand why he had spent so much time outside France while continuing to receive benefits tied to his residence there.

The checks revealed nine periods of absence between May 2022 and February 2024. Some lasted several weeks, including from July 4 to September 18, 2022, and from November 17, 2022, to January 23, 2023. Other trips were recorded in the spring and summer of 2023.

At his interview, the beneficiary acknowledged traveling to Morocco “from time to time.” He explained that his daughter, born in 2020, had health problems and that his trips allowed him to visit her. He added that his family doctor had authorized them and that he was unaware of the limits on time spent abroad that applied to the benefits he received.

Bank statements contradict his defense

The CAF disagreed with this account. On July 2, 2024, it notified him of several overpayments, including €4,024.97 in APL and €100 in exceptional solidarity assistance. The man contested the repayment and requested that his debts be waived as a gesture of goodwill.

Before the Lyon Administrative Court, he challenged the audit procedure. In particular, he accused the CAF of using the wrong first name on some documents, listing him as “Ali.” He also disputed the evidence of his stays abroad and argued that his rights of defense had not been respected.

But the judges relied on the findings of the investigation, based in particular on his bank statements. The man had himself explained that he traveled using his Moroccan identity card, since he holds dual nationality. Nor had he disputed the periods of absence cited by the investigator during their initial exchanges.

Regulations require a home receiving APL to be occupied for at least eight months a year, except in certain circumstances, including work, health reasons or force majeure. The court found that the father’s explanations about his sick daughter were not enough to call the audit findings into question.

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The French-Moroccan man had hoped at least to have his debt waived because of his financial hardship. The judges rejected that request too. In their ruling of February 19, 2026, they found that his numerous undeclared absences amounted to “false declarations and deliberate omissions.” His good faith was therefore not accepted, preventing the court from granting a waiver.

The man had also filed a second case seeking €10,000 in damages from the CAF, which he accused of mishandling his file. The court rejected the claim, finding that the administrative errors cited had not affected the validity of the audit. He will therefore have to repay the €4,124.97 demanded.