Trial Begins in Monaco Over Allegations of Fake Residency for Tax Evasion
Fourteen Belgians and a Swiss citizen implicated in a case involving fraudulent residency permits and tax evasion.
The trial regarding the alleged fraudulent residency of Belgian nationals in Monaco commenced on June 2, 2025, and is slated to conclude on June 18, 2025. This legal proceeding follows eight years of judicial investigation into claims of corruption, influence trafficking, money laundering, breach of trust, and possession of stolen goods.
The case involves fourteen Belgian nationals and one Swiss citizen who are accused of obtaining temporary and ordinary residence permits without actually living at the properties rented in Monaco.
The alleged purpose of these actions was to evade taxes in their respective home countries.
Central to the case is Christian Carpinelli, a 72-year-old former chief of the residency section of the Monaco police force, who was previously a senior police commissioner.
Carpinelli is suspected of facilitating these fraudulent registrations in exchange for monetary payments and various gifts.
He spent ten and a half months in pre-trial detention until his release in October 2017.
A total of eleven defendants, including Carpinelli's ex-wife, who reported the case in October 2016, two public security agents, and seven employees from the real estate agency Immobilia 2000, are facing charges.
The accusations center on the manipulation of residency applications to falsely establish residency in Monaco in a bid to exploit the principality's favorable tax conditions.
The Monaco Justice System is expected to thoroughly examine the evidence and testimonies presented during this trial as it addresses the serious allegations of financial misconduct and its implications on tax regulations in various countries.