Four men indicted for renewable energy scam in the North

On October 12, the judicial police of the North arrested the managers of the companies "France Confort Habitat", "Renovio", Home Innova" and "Eco Renouv" as part of a judicial investigation for "fraud in an organized gang committed within the framework of a commercial activity on renewable energies", specified the parquet floor in a press release.

They are suspected of having used "fraudulent maneuvers" to convince individuals to sign "contracts for renovation, insulation, supply of heating equipment (...) or even roof repairs", in " falsely claiming that they were eligible for state aid".

The facts began in March 2014, indicates the prosecution, specifying that 74 complainants have been identified "at the current stage of the investigations".

Some of these companies are already closed.

According to the judicial police, the damage amounts to 1,4 million euros for these 74 victims.

"The investigators brought to light an elaborate system of fraud to the detriment of vulnerable people forced to take out loans from credit institutions to finance work that was never carried out or badly carried out", according to the PJ.

Two of the indicted leaders were placed in pre-trial detention, the other two under judicial control.

They face 10 years in prison and a fine of one million euros.