World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte and president of Top14 champions Montpellier Mohed Altrad have been found guilty of corruption-related charges at the Paris Criminal Court this afternoon.
The duo – along with three others – went on trial in September over a number of bribery and corruption allegations and were sentenced today.
Mohed Altrad was found guilty of active corruption, influence peddling and misuse of corporate assets. He has been sentenced to an 18-month suspended prison sentence, a €50,000 fine and a suspended ban on operating within business.
Laporte was found guilty of illegal taking of interests, influence peddling, passive corruption and concealment of abuse of social goods. Laporte was slapped with a two-year suspended sentence, a €75,000 fine and a two-year ban on rugby-related activity.
Altrad – who was not present in the French capital’s criminal court – and Laporte – who did turn up – were found to be in cahoots when it came to Altrad’s namesake company becoming the France national rugby team’s first ever front-of-shirt sponsor.
In addition to this, the 32nd chamber found a relationship of corruption between the two individuals which included Laporte’s vote in favour of Altrad’s failed bid to buy English Premiership club Gloucester, the France 2023 partnership contract, the postponement of a domestic Montpellier game and the national shirt sponsor – Altrad also has a sponsorship deal with New Zealand’s All Blacks.
Serge Simon, who was accused of illegal taking of interests, is released without charge.
Claude Atcher was sentenced to a fine of €5,000 for acts of concealed work.
Benoît Rover was also slapped with a €5,000 fine.
More to follow
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