French police have arrested nine people over a suspected €10m ticket fraud scheme at the Louvre Museum, including two members of staff and several tour guides. The Paris Prosecutor's Office said one of those detained is believed to be the mastermind behind what investigators describe as a large-scale network operating inside the world's most visited museum. The Louvre reported the suspected scam to authorities, triggering the investigation.
According to officials, the alleged fraud involved the repeated reuse of tickets, with tour guides reportedly bringing in multiple groups (including Chinese visitors) using the same entry passes. Surveillance and wiretaps are said to have confirmed a pattern of ticket recycling and efforts to avoid paying mandatory guide speaking fees. Prosecutors are also examining claims that cash payments were made to accomplices inside the museum to bypass ticket checks. A formal judicial investigation opened last June includes allegations of organised fraud, money laundering and corruption.
Authorities have seized more than €957,000 in cash and hundreds of thousands of euros from bank accounts, with some proceeds reportedly invested in property in France and Dubai. The case adds to a turbulent period for the Louvre following the jewellery heist last October and a series of strikes by trade unions demanding renovations, staffing increases and opposing recent ticket price rises for non-EU visitors...