Nine detained in suspected €10M Louvre ticket fraud probe

French authorities have detained nine people, including two Louvre employees, as part of an investigation into a suspected decade-long ticket fraud scheme at the world’s most visited museum.

Paris prosecutors said the arrests were made during a judicial probe launched after the Louvre filed a complaint in December 2024. Investigators estimate the museum lost more than €10 million over the past decade, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Among those detained are two museum staff members, several tour guides and one person believed to be the main organiser of the scheme. Prosecutors said some of the alleged illegal proceeds were invested in property in France and Dubai.

Investigators believe the scheme involved reusing tickets multiple times, particularly with tourist groups. Authorities said surveillance and wiretap evidence suggested tour groups were sometimes split to avoid additional guide-related fees, while suspected accomplices inside the museum allegedly helped bypass ticket controls.

The case comes months after a major jewellery robbery at the Louvre in October, when thieves stole items worth an estimated €85 million. While suspects in that case were arrested, the stolen jewels have not yet been recovered.

The museum has faced growing scrutiny in recent months, including labour strikes linked to staffing levels, pay and maintenance conditions.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada