In a bizarre turn of events, a fake lawyer was arrested on Thursday, March 27, 2025, during the high-profile trial of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is facing charges related to Libyan financing. The courtroom drama unfolded at the Paris judicial court as the impersonator attempted to steal cell phones from civil party lawyers.
The suspect, a young woman dressed in a black robe, was spotted by Me Marine Schwalbert, a lawyer at the Paris bar. Schwalbert had been alerted to the presence of the fake lawyer by colleagues who had been discussing thefts occurring in the courtroom for several months. "I was at the court and several colleagues explained that she was in a courtroom. I thought I would go check to see if it was her," Schwalbert recounted to BFMTV.com.
Concerns about the fake lawyer had surfaced as early as February 2025, when lawyers began exchanging messages about a suspicious individual who was allegedly stealing from their belongings. "It started around February. We began receiving alerts in our discussion groups about someone, apparently in a robe, who was profiting from stealing from lawyers who left their belongings unattended in the courtroom," Schwalbert explained.
On the day before her arrest, another lawyer reported that she had been robbed of 500 euros. The warning prompted Schwalbert to pay closer attention to the suspect. "A colleague explained that she had been a victim of a theft of 500 euros," she said. "I received a photo of the suspect, and I confirmed that I had indeed seen her earlier in the week during an immediate appearance. She had an odd demeanor, and we were unsure what she was doing there."
On the morning of March 27, 2025, the fake lawyer made her way into the courtroom where Sarkozy's trial was taking place. Schwalbert and her colleagues decided to alert their bâtonnier (the head of the bar association) about the situation. However, they opted not to apprehend her while the trial proceedings were ongoing, hoping she would leave the courtroom after the session was suspended.
As the proceedings continued, the fake lawyer was observed rummaging through a colleague's bag. "An attorney discovered the suspect looking through a colleague's bag," Schwalbert noted. Once the audience was suspended, the suspect did not exit as anticipated, prompting further concern among the lawyers present.
Schwalbert and her colleagues, including an officer from the judicial police who was present, decided to confront the suspect. "We all entered the courtroom, and I recognized her immediately. She then exited the courtroom and was escorted to a private room for questioning before being taken away by the police," Schwalbert detailed.
The fake lawyer's scheme was not her first offense. According to reports, a Parisian lawyer filed a complaint against her for theft dating back to February 27, 2025. This lawyer had encountered the suspect, who had posed as a fellow attorney and claimed to represent a client involved in a high-profile case. "She had the jargon, she had the robe; I wouldn’t have suspected a thing," the lawyer recalled. However, after the encounter, he realized that money was missing from his belongings.
According to Paris Match, the suspect is believed to be a law student who claimed to be registered with the Créteil bar and had a previous theft conviction. "She was always extremely friendly and chatty, sitting next to real lawyers and striking up conversations," a source close to the investigation revealed. "But several lawyers realized their cash had gone missing after she left."
In addition to the 500 euros stolen from the Parisian lawyer, the suspect allegedly stole 100 euros from another lawyer during the same day at the criminal permanence of the Paris prosecutor's office, but she returned the money before leaving the premises.
As the investigation unfolds, the Paris prosecutor's office has opened a case against the suspect for "wearing a costume regulated by public authority to prepare or facilitate the commission of a crime or offense and attempted theft." The police from the 17th arrondissement of Paris are actively looking into her actions, which have raised alarm bells within the legal community.
This incident highlights the vulnerabilities faced by legal professionals in the courtroom, where trust is paramount. The presence of a fake lawyer not only poses a risk to personal belongings but also undermines the integrity of the legal system. As the case progresses, many in the legal field are left wondering how such a breach could occur and what measures can be taken to prevent future incidents.
As the legal community reflects on this incident, it underscores the importance of vigilance and communication among attorneys to safeguard their belongings and maintain the integrity of their profession. The story of the fake lawyer serves as a cautionary tale, reminding legal professionals to remain alert and to report any suspicious activity promptly.
