President Emmanuel Macron’s former butler has been charged over the alleged theft of Elysee Palace tableware. Photo / Getty Images
President Emmanuel Macron’s former butler has been charged over the alleged theft of Elysee Palace tableware. Photo / Getty Images
The former chief butler of the Elysee has been charged with stealing valuable porcelain from the French presidential palace.
Thomas M, whose last name has not been released, is accused of stealing more than 100 pieces from the Elysee Palace’s historic collection over the past two years and selling themto a collector in Versailles.
The items included cups, saucers and porcelain plates used by heads of state and kings and queens at official dinners hosted by the French president.
Although an official figure has not been released, it is estimated that they were worth tens of thousands of euros.
Many of the porcelain pieces were produced by the state-owned Manufacture National de Sevres, the national porcelain maker founded under King Louis XV.
In his role as the chief butler and silversmith, Thomas M was in charge of the precious cutlery and silverware used to set the table.
To cover up his tracks, he allegedly falsified inventory documents until the missing dishware caught the attention of Elysee staff.
News of the thefts at the palace follows the Louvre heist in October, when thieves made off with the country’s crown jewels, worth €88 million ($178m) in a brazen theft that shocked the world.
Le Parisien noted that Ghislain Mondon, the Versailles collector said to have purchased the items from Thomas M from the internet, also worked as a guard at the Louvre museum. His lawyer claims Mondon was also duped in the affair.
“My client is not at the origin of this case,” Thomas Malvolti told Le Figaro. “Initially, he was offered coins that were not of great value, and he did not ask questions. Then, the quality rising in range, he ended up suspecting something.”
A view of the entrance of the Elysee Presidential Palace. Photo / Getty Images
In a separate interview with TF1, Malvolti described his client as a “history buff” who was passionate about porcelain from the Manufacture de Sevres and was going to write a book about it.
The lawyer added: “He has unfortunately allowed himself to be blinded by his passion and regrets it today”.
This month, the 30-year-old collector presented 300 pieces of silverware, crystal and porcelain from his private collection for his first exhibit at the Henri II Pavilion of Villers-Cotterets, a former royal pavilion in Aisne.
The show, called Sevres Imperial et Royal s’invite a Villers-Cotterets, is described as “a panorama of pieces produced for imperial and royal tables, ranging from 1763 with a Louis XV sugar bowl for the Palace of Versailles to 1870 with Napoleon III’s Capraire service”.
Organisers of the exhibit told Le Figaro they were not aware of the investigation when they agreed to host the collection and that they would co-operate with the authorities if required.
The show was originally scheduled to run until January 11, but bookings are currently unavailable.
During a court appearance last week, the Paris criminal court banned Mondon from continuing his work at the Louvre.
Thomas M. had been working at the Elysee for over five years and left in November. The Elysee is still looking for his replacement.
An advertisement for the post describes the silversmith and butler being someone who “guarantees the effectiveness and efficiency of the operation of the main office by ensuring the establishment of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and buffets organised by the Presidency, as well as the maintenance of silverware, glassware and dishes”.
Police said most of the dishware had been recovered.
Thomas M and his companion, also an antiques collector, who is accused of being an accomplice, were arrested in their home in the Loiret, and Mondon in Versailles on December 16.
A court hearing will be held on February 26.
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