France’s financial prosecutor, the Parquet National Financier (PNF), has asked a judge to send BNP Paribas and the children of former Gabonese president Omar Bongo to trial over allegations of laundering the proceeds of corruption. The request, known as a renvoi en correctionnelle, marks a key step in the long-running “biens mal acquis” (ill-gotten gains) affair, which focuses on luxury properties bought in France with funds allegedly stolen from Gabon’s state treasury.
The case began more than a decade ago when anti-corruption groups filed complaints. Investigators have since traced a network of shell companies and bank accounts used to purchase high-end real estate in Paris and on the French Riviera. Omar Bongo ruled Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009. His children are accused of benefiting from state funds siphoned during his rule. BNP Paribas, one of France’s largest banks, is suspected of having helped move the money through its accounts without proper oversight.
If a trial is ordered, it would be the first time a major French bank faces criminal proceedings for alleged money laundering linked to African corruption. The PNF’s request does not guarantee a trial; investigating judges must still decide whether the evidence is sufficient. The defendants have denied any wrongdoing. The case has already seen setbacks, including the overturning of earlier searches on procedural grounds.
The affected parties include not only the Bongo family and BNP Paribas, but also the Gabonese people, who lost public funds, and the broader banking sector, which now faces scrutiny over its anti-money laundering practices. For the French legal system, a trial could test the limits of recent anti-corruption laws. Legal observers expect a decision from the judges in the coming months.