French police have arrested nine people in connection with a suspected €10 million (£8.7 million) ticket fraud scheme at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Among those detained are two museum employees, several tour guides, and the suspected mastermind, according to the Paris prosecutors' office.
The Louvre, the world's most visited museum, reported the suspected scam to police, leading to the arrests. The alleged fraud involved tour guides reusing the same tickets multiple times for different visitors, particularly targeting groups of Chinese tourists. Investigators believe the network may have brought in up to 20 tour groups per day over the past decade.
Surveillance and wiretaps confirmed repeated ticket reuse and a strategy of splitting tour groups to avoid paying a required 'speaking fee' for guides. The investigation also pointed to suspected accomplices within the Louvre, with guides allegedly paying cash to staff to avoid ticket checks.
A formal judicial investigation was opened last June on charges including organised fraud, money laundering, corruption, and aiding illegal entry. Authorities have seized over €957,000 in cash and €486,000 from bank accounts, with suspects believed to have invested some proceeds in real estate in France and Dubai.
The ticket scam is the latest crisis for the Louvre, which is still recovering from a daylight heist in October when a gang stole an estimated €88 million of French crown jewels. The museum has also faced strikes by trade unions demanding renovations and staffing increases, and protesting against ticket price rises for non-EU visitors.
