Why on earth did Albert II’s right-hand man invest in a French audiovisual company?
Claude Palmero does not understand. But why be interested in his acquisition of a majority stake with Thierry Lacoste* – 49% for him, 2% for the lawyer of Prince Albert II of Monaco – in a French audiovisual company that filed for bankruptcy in 2018, Patrick Spica Productions? “ This file is clear “, he hammers by interposed emails. In reality, the 66-year-old chartered accountant but above all administrator of the property of Prince Albert II is fuming. And says he is a victim of intense ” misleading and malicious campaign ” since many years. ” Perhaps, he points, could you also be interested in those who disturb my honesty and commitment to Monegasque service? But who is he talking about? Mystery, he will not name them. But others allude to it instead, such as his communications consultant. Covertly, this one will make us understand that a powerful man would pull the strings of a plot. The man in question? Patrice Pastor, 49, heir to the eponymous group which would hold 15% of the Monegasque real estate stock and whose fortune would amount to 20 billion euros.
His goal ? Nothing less than becoming king instead of the prince. The proof, he would proclaim himself “Builder” in his official letters. A capital “B” that goes wrong, recalling the hallowed nickname of Rainier alias the “Prince Builder”, the father of Albert II of Monaco. In other words, a quasi-crime of lèse-majesté in the principality. Argument almost laughable if it was relayed with the utmost seriousness by many interlocutors we contacted. On the other hand, more embarrassing are the various documents which leaked to the media between October 2021 and March 2022. Elements known as the “Dossiers du Rocher”, intended to splash four relatives of Prince Albert, a sort of dark cabinet which would act for his personal interests . In which we find Claude Palmero and Thierry Lacoste. But also Laurent Anselmi, chief of staff of the prince, and Didier Linotte, president of the supreme court of Monaco.
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Hacked e-mails and apparently authentic bank documents are disseminated by an anonymous website based abroad, itself hidden behind a front company. Artificially inflated Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram accounts of tens of thousands of users are also created in order to relay the accusations of corruption and cronyism made by the site. An operation carried out by real professionals, according to specialists who amount to more than 5 million euros. Two men, a Belgian entrepreneur and a Monegasque, also to be indicted for “concealment of attacks on an automated data processing system”. Half-salts for the defendants who see the hand of Patrice Pastor, the only one to have the reins strong enough to engage in a campaign of such magnitude. The billionaire really did not appreciate being suspected of being a crow, and reacted with two complaints for “defamation” and “public insult” last June.