French and Belgian authorities conducted searches in relation to an investigation into alleged tax fraud by French actor Gerard Depardieu, according to a French judicial source on Monday. The searches, carried out on February 11 by France's Central Office for Combating Corruption and Financial and Tax Offenses (OCLCIFF) and Belgian authorities, are part of a European inquiry focusing on Depardieu's tax affairs. The preliminary investigation, initiated in February 2024, is probing potential tax fraud instances dating back to 2013. Depardieu, a renowned French actor, has not been questioned yet.
The French news website Mediapart and Belgian paper Le Soir have reported suspicions that Depardieu may have falsely claimed residence in Belgium to evade taxes in France. In response, Depardieu's lawyer, Jeremie Assous, criticized the media reports as inaccurate. He emphasized that tax authorities have persisted for years in their attempts to prove this allegation unsuccessfully, now resorting to criminal proceedings.
Seperately, Depardieu is set to stand trial in March over allegations of assaulting two women on a film set in 2021, which he denies. The trial, initially scheduled for October, was postponed due to Depardieu's health issues. Despite being a prominent figure in French cinema with celebrated films like "Green Card," "Cyrano de Bergerac," and "La Vie en Rose," Depardieu has faced sexual assault accusations in recent years that have cast a shadow over his career.