Athanor trial: Alleged masterminds sentenced to 30 and 25 years in prison respectively

Paris – July 17, 2026: On Friday, an exceptionally complex criminal trial came to an end at the Paris courthouse. Two men accused of being key figures in the Athanor group, Daniel Beaulieu and Frédéric Vaglio, were sentenced to 30 and 25 years in prison respectively. Five other defendants were acquitted by the specially constituted criminal court.

Since March 30, a total of 22 male and female defendants had been on trial before the Paris criminal court. The case revolved around a group named after a Masonic lodge in the Hauts-de-Seine department. The judges examined charges of murder, attempted murder, violence, intimidation and other offenses. The individual responsibility of the defendants varied considerably.

According to the prosecution, Beaulieu, a former employee of France’s domestic intelligence service, and Vaglio, a former journalist, were the heads of the organization’s structure. Vaglio allegedly handled contacts with potential clients, while Beaulieu organized operational procedures. The sentences previously requested by the prosecution for the two men were identical to those now handed down by the court.

The trial also centered on the killing of former racing driver Laurent Pasquali. His remains were found in a forest in the Haute-Loire department in 2018. The court also had to assess several plans that the prosecution was convinced were intended to carry out assaults or killings. However, not every charge raised during the proceedings resulted in a conviction.

The five acquittals therefore formed an important part of the ruling. They show that the court examined each criminal allegation separately, rather than treating all those suspected of belonging to the same group equally. In line with the prosecution’s previous requests, those acquitted during the trial also included individuals suspected of commissioning crimes, against whom the evidence was insufficient to support a conviction.

The investigation began in the summer of 2020. At that time, investigators arrested two men who had appeared near the residence of a female business owner. The subsequent investigation by the Paris criminal police uncovered a network of relationships involving former or current members of security agencies, businesspeople and individuals connected to the lodge.

The verdict represents an initial judicial milestone, but not the final conclusion. Decisions by the criminal court may be appealed. For those involved and their relatives, after months of public proceedings, the ruling first brings clarity to a case marked by serious allegations, contradictory testimony and an unusual social background.