Former Elysee Palace Worker Sentenced for Stealing Presidential Porcelain
A Paris court has sentenced a former employee of France’s Elysee Palace to two years in prison for stealing luxury items, including historic porcelain, valued at nearly €400,000 between 2023 and 2025. Thomas M, a contract worker in the palace’s silverware department with unique access to warehouse keys, collaborated with his partner, Damien G, to sell the stolen goods via online platforms such as Vinted and Facebook. The couple reportedly profited approximately €15,000 from these illicit sales. Both received two-year sentences involving electronic monitoring and suspended terms. Additionally, a third individual, Ghislain M, who purchased nearly 80 of the stolen items, was given a one-year suspended sentence. The theft was uncovered in 2025 after the Sevres national porcelain manufacturer identified its products listed on auction sites. Besides imprisonment, Thomas M was fined €10,000 and banned from working in similar roles or entering auction houses. The defense argued the valuation was excessive, but the court upheld the charges, highlighting a significant breach of security within the presidential residence.
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Former Elysee Palace Worker Sentenced for Stealing Presidential Porcelain
A Paris court has sentenced a former employee of France’s Elysee Palace to two years in prison for stealing luxury items, including historic porcelain, valued at nearly €400,000 between 2023 and 2025. Thomas M, a contract worker in the palace’s silverware department with unique access to warehouse keys, collaborated with his partner, Damien G, to sell the stolen goods via online platforms such as Vinted and Facebook. The couple reportedly profited approximately €15,000 from these illicit sales. Both received two-year sentences involving electronic monitoring and suspended terms. Additionally, a third individual, Ghislain M, who purchased nearly 80 of the stolen items, was given a one-year suspended sentence. The theft was uncovered in 2025 after the Sevres national porcelain manufacturer identified its products listed on auction sites. Besides imprisonment, Thomas M was fined €10,000 and banned from working in similar roles or entering auction houses. The defense argued the valuation was excessive, but the court upheld the charges, highlighting a significant breach of security within the presidential residence.
The Straits Times World News