Jean Nouvel: investigation into the millions of euros lost by the “starchitect” agency

The year had started under the best auspices for Ateliers Jean Nouvel (AJN). In January, the famous architecture firm finished repaying its last debts after eight years of discreet safeguard proceedings under the aegis of the Paris commercial court. With a turnover of nearly 45 million euros according to the latest data communicated, the company even seems to have returned to its prosperous years. "The liabilities have been settled, the accounts are healthy and the management rigorous without losing any of the exceptional quality of the projects" , rejoices the general director, Dominique Alba, who draws up to Libération a non-exhaustive list of the prestigious projects in progress: the new Cartier foundation which is due to open in a few months opposite the Louvre, the Shenzhen opera and its four concert halls, the construction of which has started in the south of China, the Galeries Lafayette in Berlin, the Sheeran hotel in the heart of the Saudi desert of Al-Ula or the aviation school in Singapore. Enough to finally look to the future with peace of mind.

But an improbable clash of calendars spoiled the party. According to our information, the Paris prosecutor's office requested in mid-December the referral to the criminal court of several former AJN employees, including its former administrative and financial director, for alleged "massive" embezzlement committed over several years, against a backdrop of false invoices issued in industrial quantities. More