Paris court jails ex-Élysée silverware keeper for porcelain theft ring

Published on 16/04/2026 - 18:48 GMT+2

A Paris tribunal handed a erstwhile silverware keeper astatine France's statesmanlike palace a two-year situation condemnation connected Thursday for stealing hundreds of thousands of euros worthy of luxury items betwixt 2023 and 2025.

Thomas M. was ordered to deterioration an physics tag for a year, with the 2nd twelvemonth suspended, for stealing exclusive tableware and different items worthy astir €400,000, the tribunal ruled.

He was besides fined €10,000 and barred from moving successful a akin presumption and from mounting ft successful an auction location ever again.

His partner, Damien G., was besides sentenced to 2 years. He was ordered to deterioration an physics tag for 8 months, with the remaining 16 months suspended.

The mates sold astir of the stolen items via a Vinted concern relationship and connected Facebook, and said they had pocketed astir €15,000 successful profit.

A 3rd man, Ghislain M., who bought astir 80 of the items, was fixed a one-year suspended situation sentence.

The lawsuit came to airy past twelvemonth erstwhile the Sevres nationalist porcelain manufacturer, which makes galore of the invaluable plates for the statesmanlike palace, saw immoderate of the items listed connected auction sites.

Investigations rapidly focused connected Thomas M., a declaration idiosyncratic successful the Élysée's silverware section since 2020 and the lone unit subordinate with nonstop entree to the warehouse keys.

According to the manufacturer, the estimated worth of the items was €377,370, a sum the defence described arsenic "absurd."

During the proceedings successful February, the erstwhile maître d'hôtel said helium had stolen the objects for their beauty, but decided to merchantability them to wage disconnected dense debts.