In an investigation into corruption, the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympics was raided by the police. This action took place slightly more than a year before the commencement of the quadrennial sporting event’s opening ceremony.
Police Carry Out Raids at Cojo and Solideo Offices
The committee responsible for organizing the Olympics, known as Cojo, and the offices of Solideo, the organization overseeing the construction sites for the event, were both subject to police raids.
Prosecutors Authorize Raids Linked to Two Ongoing Investigations
The raids were authorized by the Prosecutors’ Office (PNF) and were conducted in relation to two separate ongoing investigations. The PNF confirmed this information to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
A spokesman for prosecutors said the probes concerned “illegal conflict of interest, misuse of public funds and favouritism”.
The first investigation was launched in 2017 involving the anti-corruption and financial crime investigators concerning a series of contracts signed off by “several powerful decision makers linked to the Games, notably the Cojo and their predecessors GIP 2024 (the bidding committee),” said the prosecutors.
The second investigation, initiated in 2022, has been assigned to the BRDE, the financial brigade of the Parisian police. This inquiry focuses on examining allegations of conflict of interest and favoritism.
The decision by the Prosecutors’ Office (PNF) to conduct the raids was prompted by concerns raised by the French Anti-Corruption Agency regarding multiple agreements approved by Cojo and Solideo. These agreements had raised suspicions of potential wrongdoing.
According to a source close to the case it involves “consultancy contracts” on “different topics.”
Another source told AFP that one of the two investigations surrounded Edouard Donnelly, executive director of operations for Cojo who is also a service provider for the Games via his company RNK.
Cojo and Solideo said they were “cooperating fully with the investigators to facilitate their investigation.”
