Gang of kidnappers spent more than €1m of hostage’s money
FOUR men stood trial yesterday accused of kidnapping a wealthy Toulouse businessman and spending more than a million euros of his money while keeping him hostage for two months in a camper van in southern Spain.
Christian Bec, 61, told investigators he was so scared after being freed that he sought to keep the incident from his entourage, claiming he had been away on “family matters”.
“I don’t want to file a complaint,” he told investigators at first. “I’m very scared they will find and execute me.”
The alleged mastermind claims Mr Bec ordered the kidnapping as an excuse to launder money.
Mr Bec, the heir of wealthy landowning farmers, told investigators he was kidnapped in July 2015 after meeting a man in a hat and scarf who said he wanted to buy a farm. After leaving the property, Mr Bec was bundled into the boot of their BMW. He was taken to his home to gather his affairs and valuables, then ferried to six different destinations over a seven-week period. Chained to a bed by night, he was allowed to manage his business every evening and send one text to his partner of 11 years telling her he needed to lie low for a while for tax reasons.
In that time, prosecutors said his alleged
‘We’re faced with a case of kidnapping 2.0. It is up to the victim to act to fund his own release’
captors forced him to spend €1.26 million (£1.14 million) on gold bars and coins and send funds to offshore accounts in Latvia and Mauritius, as well as buy two motorbikes and the camper van.
Laurent Boguet, his lawyer, said he had suffered from Stockholm syndrome, a condition which causes hostages to develop a psychological alliance with their captors. “We’re faced with a case of kidnapping 2.0,” he said. “It is up to the victim to act to fund his own release.”
Mr Boguet said the gang “brainwashed” Mr Bec into continuing to make payments, which only stopped when he broke down and told his partner and bank manager days later.
Alain Raspaut, 59, the alleged mastermind, had been on conditional release since 2013 from a life sentence for killing two police officers during a jewellery store hold-up in 1992.
Raspaut insists the kidnap was conducted at his “friend” Mr Bec’s behest and that the aim was for him to buy gold on his behalf.
Two others stand accused of kidnapping, sequestration and aggravated money laundering. A fourth is accused of concealing gold coins acquired via “extortion by an organised gang”. Three of the men face life sentences.
The trial continues.