Louvre Investigates Decade-Long Ticket Fraud
Paris prosecutors charged nine suspects in an alleged ticket-fraud scheme that investigators estimate siphoned more than 10 million euros over a decade.
Overview
Paris prosecutors said nine people have been detained and formally charged in connection to a suspected decade-long ticket-fraud scheme that investigators estimate cost the Louvre more than 10 million euros.
The Louvre filed a complaint in December 2024 and alerted police about the alleged fraud, prompting a judicial investigation.
Kim Pham, the Louvre’s general administrator, said fraud is 'statistically inevitable' at a museum of its scale and that 90 percent of tickets are bought online, where major fraud occurs.
The Louvre displays about 35,000 works across 86,000 square meters to about 9 million visitors a year, a scale Pham cited as increasing vulnerability to fraud.
The museum has limited individual tickets to two scans and group tickets to one, and two employees questioned in the case have been told not to return to their jobs while the judicial investigation continues.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the Louvre as beset by systemic management and security problems by grouping alleged ticket fraud with recent thefts, strikes, and leaks, using evaluative subheadings like "a complex web of problems." They prioritize official responses (internal administrators) and prosecutor allegations, emphasize scale with repeated attendance and loss figures, and highlight remedial measures.
Sources (4)
FAQ
The scheme involved tour guides, primarily targeting Chinese tour groups, reusing the same tickets multiple times to bring in extra visitors, with help from Louvre employees who facilitated entry past checks, operating for a decade and costing over €10 million.
Nine suspects, including two Louvre employees, several tour guides, and one alleged organizer, were detained and formally charged.
The Louvre limited individual tickets to two scans and group tickets to one scan, suspended two implicated employees, and developed a plan to combat intensifying ticket fraud.
Police seized over €957,000 in cash, €486,000 from bank accounts, three vehicles, and several safe deposit boxes, with some proceeds invested in real estate in France and Dubai.
The fraud scheme also targeted the Palace of Versailles, involving counterfeit tickets and overbooking of guided tours.
History
This story does not have any previous versions.