Morocco Launches Tax Probe into Unexplained Wealth of Officials’ Mistresses

Citing Assabah, Le360 reports that this "control comes after the observation of the excessive wealth of these women who hold various real estate and staggering bank accounts". Citing informed sources, the news site suggests that "some of them have been able to amass large fortunes, acquire real estate and luxury cars in record time". While their supposed income does not allow them to lead this type of lifestyle, it was discovered by the competent services that "these women spent considerable sums on travel as well as on the purchase of jewelry and clothing," the online media supports.

For its part, the daily Assabah reveals that "one of these women has amassed, in less than five years, a fortune of more than 180 million dirhams consisting of real estate, bank accounts and luxury cars. This same mistress has turned her villa into a meeting place between businessmen and officials, where she plays the role of mediator. It is very likely that she enriched herself by receiving bribes from people to whom she rendered services through her lover".

In addition, Assabah indicates that after tightening the measures relating to the mandatory declaration of assets to include their families, some officials have registered their assets in the name of their mistresses. To avoid having to account for and be prosecuted, the latter create companies where the majority of shares are held by their sweethearts or members of their families.

Assabah informs that in this case, the investigators are calling on foreign services to verify the assets held by these mistresses outside Morocco, particularly in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Spain. Indeed, the sources of the newspaper specify that the lovers of senior Moroccan officials invest in beauty salons, gyms and restaurants in the Gulf countries.