The Louvre Museum in Paris has been the victim of a large-scale ticket fraud scheme, estimated to have cost the institution 10 million Euros (approximately $10.8 million USD or Rs 107 crore) over the past decade.
The scam involved tour guides, initially identified as Chinese, repeatedly reusing tickets and bribing Louvre employees to bypass official checks. Investigators, alerted by suspicious activity, confirmed the fraud through surveillance and wiretaps, revealing a network that also aimed to avoid mandatory 'speaking fees' for guides.
Nine individuals have been arrested, including two Louvre employees, several tour guides, and a suspected mastermind. Authorities have seized over $1.3 million in cash and an additional $500,000 from bank accounts, with some funds reportedly invested in real estate in France and Dubai.
The suspects face serious charges including organized gang fraud, corruption, and money laundering, highlighting the museum's ongoing challenges with ticket fraud.
