Philippe Stanislas Antoine Wasila likes selfies. On his Facebook page, this 57-year-old Frenchman, born in Luxembourg, has posted dozens of them. As a racing driver on a racetrack, in a suit sitting in a jet, in a black t-shirt riding a motorcycle, in front of a yacht, in front of a red Ferrari, in front of the Maserati headquarters in Modena, Italy, or behind the wheel of a 'a collector's car.
With shoulder-length hair and graying beard, the man, who does not smile in any of the photos, seems to be leading a great lifestyle. His last publication – a story dedicated to the Maserati Mistral – was published on October 11. At the time, however, he was already wanted by the justice system of the Grand Duchy, where he lived for many years, suspected of not being who he claims.
Investigators from the Fugitives Research unit of the judicial police service of this Benelux country have been on his trail for several months. An investigating judge wants to hear him about a fairly old case of fraud. On April 17, 2024, a European arrest warrant and an international arrest warrant were issued against him. And since November 12, he has appeared on the Most Wanted site, where we find the list of the most wanted fugitives in Europe identified by the European criminal police agency Europol.
“Lavish lifestyle”
When the local media reported on it, Philippe Stanislas Antoine Wasila sent them an email, claiming to be “in no way on the run”. “I was unable to attend the latest summons from the investigating judge, with whom I nevertheless corresponded regularly,” he wrote, justifying these absences with “important medical reasons.”
“He is, to this day, still wanted,” however, indicates to 20 Minutes the communications department of the Grand Duchy's Ministry of Justice. “The individual is still wanted” by the Luxembourg authorities, Europol also confirms. It must be said that financial police investigators suspect him of having defrauded, between 2013 and 2014, around 5.4 million euros from investors by posing as a rich businessman and a successful lawyer. A way, investigators believe, to give confidence to his victims, reassured by the “sumptuous lifestyle” he led.
Opaque companies and bank accounts abroad
“He further claimed to be the director of a purported investment fund, promising substantial returns through an innovative project involving the development of an autonomous drone,” Luxembourg police said on their website. The suspect even managed to convince several investors to entrust him with funds. But “the funds invested were never allocated to the drone project,” continues the grand duchy’s police. Rather, Wasila created a network of opaque companies and overseas bank accounts to siphon off investors' money and use it to finance his lifestyle. »
Investigations showed that the Frenchman “was neither a licensed lawyer nor an investment manager registered in Luxembourg or any other jurisdiction”. “The so-called investment fund was never recognized by Luxembourg's financial regulator, the Financial Sector Surveillance Commission. Wasila did not have the necessary authorizations to manage or supervise an investment fund. »
“(My) innocence will be demonstrated”
In his letter addressed to the Luxembourg media, Philippe Stanislas Antoine Wasila asks to benefit from the “presumption of innocence” in this “case more than ten years old” which has “still not been judged”. He denounces a “judge who is investigating this case solely for the prosecution” and claims to have gone twice to the police premises to answer the investigators’ questions. “I sent them all the documents and accounts necessary for their investigation in my possession and answered all the many questions, assisted or not by my lawyer. »
The suspect, who speaks six languages – French, English, German, Greek, Italian and Luxembourgish – indicates that his “criminal record is absolutely clean” and assures that his “innocence” will be “demonstrated in due time”. He regrets that this affair “seriously” compromises his “reputation”
“Global specialist in mergers and acquisitions”
On LinkedIn, Philippe Stanislas Antoine Wasila presents himself as “senior partner” within the company Xasteria Finance SA, “global specialist in mergers and acquisitions”. A position he would have held for more than twenty-seven years. Its turnover, he writes, would be “between 10 and 500 million dollars”. “Our negotiators have collectively concluded more than 250 transactions in more than 20 different sectors,” he says. He would also have been president of Nazca Investment between 1996 and 2015, he indicates on the social network. His profile picture? Him working on a plane, a glass of champagne placed on the shelf.
Contacted by email by 20 MinutesPhilippe Stanislas Antoine Wasila deplores being “treated like the worst criminal while the case is still under investigation”. According to him, “almost everything that is said is false and is the result of a public execution by the Luxembourg public prosecutor's office”. “I was unable to meet the investigating magistrate for proven medical reasons and they chose to destroy my reputation in front of the world like smoking a badger at the bottom of a burrow,” he adds, regretting “the consequences” for his loved ones and his business, he who is “known and recognized on different continents”. “I will of course use all legal avenues to assert my rights and seek compensation,” he concludes.
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