Fugitive Suspect in Paris Bank Heist Sentenced in Absentia, Millions Still Missing

The verdict was handed down last Thursday. The Paris judicial court sentenced Hicham E. to seven years in prison instead of the 9-year sentence requested against him, reports Le Parisien. Targeted by an international arrest warrant, he is the "colleague" of Alexandre A., 41, a repeat offender nicknamed "Musclor", the only one to appear in custody. Hicham is considered the "central element" by the prosecutor. "Where did the millions go? I would say they are in Morocco with Hicham," the public prosecutor’s representative bet, based on investigative elements. The loot from the 68 safes is estimated at a minimum of ten million euros.

"Musclor" was sentenced to ten years in prison, the heaviest sentence instead of the 15-year prison sentence requested by the prosecution. According to the public prosecutor’s representative, he was "a dangerous individual" with three armed robbery convictions on his criminal record, who acted in a certain way as a "repeat offender". "He always presents himself as the victim of the offenses he commits," denounced the magistrate, who also requested a two-thirds security sentence for him. "A double-digit sentence would destroy him," pleaded Amaury Auzou, Alexandre A.’s lawyer, explaining that his client was "financially and psychologically cornered" when he agreed to get involved in this coup.

Kamal J., the former director of this bank, who directly participated in the coup, was sentenced to six years in prison (in line