Bankrupt, he continued to sell hot air balloon flights for 175 euros: 200 people defrauded

He continued to sell hot air balloon flights over Rochefort-sur-Loire (Maine-et-Loire) even though his company was bankrupt. A 69-year-old man appeared before the Angers criminal court this Friday, January 17, for fraud, bankruptcy and forgery of checks, reports West France. Around ten victims had filed civil claims for acts dating back to 2017.

“You had no money, no ball!” »

That year, in July, the defendant's company was placed in liquidation. But the sixty-year-old continued to take reservations at a rate of 175 euros per person for a flight. “You had no money, no ball!” »launched the president of the court during the hearing. The victims no longer found anyone to talk to when the date of the theft approached. The gendarmerie investigation made it possible to identify nearly 200 victims in total.

The defendant was given a two-year suspended prison sentence as well as a permanent ban from running a business. His partner and associate, for his part, received a four-month suspended prison sentence.