American Citizen, Held Hostage in France since Feb 2022, Goes on Hunger Strike to Expose Deep-Rooted Government Conspiracy

Haguenau, France – September 18, 2024 – On February 7, 2022, long before Telegram CEO, Pavel Durov, was detained, French authorities launched a “preliminary investigation” against French-American tech entrepreneur and investor, Dom Einhorn, on “rumors of wrongdoing.”

Nearly three years on, and despite court orders for the release of seized assets going ignored, Einhorn finds himself in a legal no man’s land as prosecutors continue to stall and fail to deliver any evidence. To help offset overwhelming legal costs, his wife has set up a GoFundMe page.

In the time since, however, a chilling narrative has emerged: a jealous mayor by the name of Jean-Jacques de Peretti, once an advisor to Jacques Chirac, saw Einhorn’s swift success as a threat and orchestrated a campaign to undermine him and ultimately seize control of what he had built. Meanwhile, administrators who seized control of Einhorn’s companies have profited endlessly, further exposing the corruption at the heart of this scandal.

Einhorn remembers the day this Kafkaesque scandal began vividly. “I was living and working in Sarlat-la-Caneda in the Dordogne department of France. I was about to leave my home for the office, located a mere few miles away, when 30 armed officers stormed my residence,” Einhorn recalls. “At the same time, another contingent of 25 to 30 armed law enforcement agents raided my offices. I was immediately handed a search warrant, as were my CFO and CMO at the office.”

After an exhaustive search of Einhorn’s home and offices, which yielded nothing, he was immediately handcuffed and taken into custody before being subjected to 48 hours of questioning. During this time, he endured two consecutive nights in a freezing jail cell with no heat, while the outside temperature plummeted to -6 degrees Celsius (21°F). He later found out that the heater had been turned off.

At the end of the 48-hour period, and following the orders of district attorney Sylvie MARTINS-GUEDES, Einhorn was taken to the judicial court in Bergerac, where he was held in handcuffs for four hours before being brought before judge Lydie BAGONNEAU. “Due to my involvement in the local rugby scene and Uniqorn, my technology incubator, everyone knew who I was. The intention was clear: to parade me like a criminal, in handcuffs, in the middle of a bustling courthouse.”

Einhorn arrived at the courthouse at 3 p.m., the scheduled time for his arraignment. It wasn’t until 7 p.m. that the judge officially read him his rights and formally indicted him.

Einhorn’s business lawyer, Me Denis Lacroix, remained by his side throughout the ordeal. “My attorney informed me that, through a network of referrals, he had secured a top-tier criminal lawyer to represent me.” That lawyer was Me Pascal Garbarini, a prominent Parisian attorney known for representing high-profile figures in French criminal cases.

Following his official arraignment, Einhorn was indicted on over 30 charges, each more obscure than the last. Me Garbarini reassured him, saying that the official file with all charges would be delivered within a day or two. However, despite countless reminders from Einhorn’s attorney to the judicial court of Bergerac, the file never arrived.

Finally, 56 days after his arrest, Einhorn’s attorneys received the official indictment and requested that he travel to Paris to discuss and review it. “I’ll never forget my attorney’s first comment,” Einhorn recalls. “Your file is empty. There is zero substance and 100% speculation. Worse, you’ve been indicted based on rumors. In my entire career, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

As a result, all of Einhorn’s businesses, including Uniqorn—the first technology incubator in Dordogne—were liquidated, leaving over 50 individuals unemployed and their families searching for answers.

In hindsight, the goal was evident from the beginning: to dispossess Einhorn of his assets, seize and reappropriate them. 

The small town of Sarlat-la-Canéda, nestled in southwest France with a population of just 8,000, lacked both the expertise and financial resources to achieve what Einhorn set out to build. At the urging of his accountant and former president of the local rugby association, Jean-Luc Menchon, Einhorn agreed to rescue the club when Covid-19 struck. Eighteen months later, under Einhorn’s leadership, the club had won 22 out of 22 regular season games and reached the quarterfinals of the French national championship, a first in the club’s 119 year history. Meanwhile, the Uniqorn incubator and accelerator thrived, garnering attention from both national and international media. The incubator attracted co-workers from over 20 countries, which sparked suspicion in the local community, with rumors suggesting, “They must be illegal.”

“My unjust indictment cleared the way for the local mafia to seize control of the rugby club and the incubator. Today, that nightmare has become reality: the Communauté de Communes Sarlat Périgord Noir has stolen our incubator (down to the coffee and tea machines) and relabeled it ‘SarlaTech,’ while the mayor and his associates handed over the rugby club to their accomplices.

Note: Einhorn filed a criminal complaint for aggravated theft against the Communauté de Communes Sarlat Périgord Noir over five months ago. Despite a 90-day deadline, the Bordeaux public prosecutor’s office has yet to take any action on the complaint. Einhorn only learned of this delay after his lawyer, Me Ismael Meziti, inquired with the court in person, and was informed the case had not “yet” been investigated. Additionally, Einhorn has filed a 2,700-page civil lawsuit against the rugby club, with a hearing scheduled in Paris for late October 2024. Finally, Einhorn has also filed a lawsuit against former French minister and mayor of Sarlat-la-Canéda, Jean-Jacques de Peretti, who has held office since 1989.

According to French law, “serious and corroborating evidence” is required before indicting a person. However, the first line in Einhorn’s indictment stated: “Mr. Einhorn was indicted based on rumors that have been circulating in the city of Sarlat and its surroundings.”

As part of his indictment, Einhorn was placed under extremely strict judicial control:

• Both his French and U.S. passports were seized, preventing him from leaving French national territory;
• Authorities confiscated all of his personal and business assets, including nearly 1 million euros in cash;
• He is required to report to the local gendarmerie once or twice a week, a practice he has continued for two and a half years despite his case being at a complete standstill;
• He is forced to meet with a social worker once a month, an hour from his home;
• Although indicted on rumors of accounting irregularities, his judicial control strictly prohibits him from speaking with his accountants and former chief financial officers;
• All of his businesses and start-ups were immediately placed under the control of an “independent” administrator, whom Einhorn has sued for causing an estimated economic loss of 6.3 million euros;
• Einhorn was prohibited from contacting former employees, accountants, administrative and financial managers, as well as the rugby players from the team on which he served as president;
• The administrator and liquidator immediately shattered all of Einhorn’s businesses, and more than 50 people lost their jobs with their families left wondering what’s next;
• Einhorn was also prohibited from presiding over, directing, administering, or managing any legal entity, corporate or non-profit;
• During the first 24 hours following his arraignment, he was not even allowed any contact with his wife.

On December 15, 2022, an initial hearing was held before the Examining Magistrate’s Court to rule on the criminal seizures in question. However the Court was unable to make a definitive ruling on the seizures, as it ordered additional information due to the lack of justification for the orders issued by the Examining Magistrate. This lack of justification was highlighted by Einhorn’s defense, in accordance with current legislation and case law.

As a result, no debate has yet taken place regarding these criminal seizures, even though Einhorn’s companies were condemned to inevitable bankruptcy and have caused serious harm to Einhorn. Furthermore, no financial appraisal of the seized and sealed corporate, accounting, and financial records has ever been conducted. The only entity assigned to carry out investigations was the local gendarmerie in Sarlat-la-Caneda, which lacks specialization in financial matters and is completely unqualified to investigate the matter.

For this reason, Einhorn had to independently appoint an independent legal expert, Mr. Thierry DUVAL, to produce an expert report. This report, issued on September 30, 2023, confirms that the seizures are both irregular and unfounded.

For nearly three years now, Einhorn has been unable to leave French territory and unable to work, despite consistently maintaining his innocence since the beginning, and repeatedly requesting relief through his defense. Additionally, a socio-educational report dated November 17, 2022, commissioned by the examining magistrate, confirmed that Einhorn has meticulously complied with all the conditions of his judicial supervision and poses no risk of flight or reoffending. 

Given these circumstances, the judicial supervision imposed on Mr. Dominique EINHORN appears entirely disproportionate, infringing upon his fundamental right to privacy and his freedom to conduct business.

At the end of October 2023, Einhorn’s attorneys delivered an exhaustive review of the case brought against their client. The attorneys concluded their report as follows: “All the elements outlined in this summary note cast serious doubt on the impartiality of the judicial bodies involved in the criminal proceedings that have targeted you for nearly two years, as well as to the validity and gravity of the accusations leveled against you. Moreover, these proceedings have severely infringed upon your fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly your rights to privacy and health, as well as your freedom of movement and ability to conduct business—freedoms that are protected under French law and by international agreements ratified by France and incorporated into its Constitution.”

On April 5, 2024, the Appeals Court in Bordeaux ordered the restitution of close to 700,000 euros to Einhorn and his companies. However, five months later, Einhorn has yet to receive any of this money. Worse, the administrators and liquidators responsible for recovering the funds misled Einhorn’s attorneys, falsely claiming they had requested the return of the money. After further investigation and months of back and forth, it was revealed that no such effort had been made.

According to Mr. Einhorn’s defense team (Me Ismaël Meziti), “many charges were dropped, and the restitution of over 650,000 euros was ordered. The mountain gave birth to a mouse. However, we are now witnessing a synchronized stalemate that raises questions about the objectives of this procedure, at both local and institutional levels.”

The total economic damage suffered by Einhorn and his companies is estimated to be between 11 and 21 million euros.

Einhorn Launches Hunger Strike to Demand Independent Investigation into Government Collusion, Corruption and Obstruction of Justice in his Case

Einhorn faces limited choices: “Either I take action like Dirty Harry or I choose a peaceful protest like Mahatma Gandhi and Bobby Sands. I’ve chosen a peaceful resolution, and I am willing to risk my life to expose a deep web of government corruption and collusion through an independent inquiry.”

Effective Wednesday, September 18, 2024, Einhorn will commence a hunger strike and demands:

1. The immediate dismissal of all charges levied against him;
2. The prompt return of all unlawfully seized funds and assets;
3. A comprehensive, independent counter-investigation led by a European or American authority, due to Einhorn’s loss of trust in the French judicial system;
4. The immediate refund of all legal fees incurred by Einhorn (over 800,000 euros to date);
5. An immediate and thorough investigation into the roles and responsibilities of the following individuals:

• JJ de Peretti, mayor of Sarlat and president of the Communauté de Communes Sarlat Périgord Noir;
• Benoit Secrestat, vice-president of the Communauté de Communes Sarlat Périgord Noir;
• The justice system as a whole;
• An “investigating” gendarme from Sarlat whose wife is a deputy mayor of Sarlat as well a member of the community council chaired by the same mayor, Jean-Jacques de Peretti;
• Me Aurelien Morel, legal administrator;
• Me Aurelien Texier, liquidator;
• Jean-Marc Vignon, witness in the case brought against Einhorn;
• Eddie Joel Rios, witness in the case brought against Einhorn;
• Jean-Claude Mercier, former president of the Sarlat rugby club;
• Marc Bertrand, journalist at France Bleu Périgord,
• Boris Rebeyrotte, journalist at Sud Ouest.

“My demands today are not only reasonable, they are way overdue. The authorities, wielding their full might and oppressive power, have stripped me of everything I hold dear: my health, my assets, the businesses I built with my hard-earned money and countless hours of hard work alongside my spouse, and, most painfully, my human dignity. It is now time to hold the true criminals accountable—those who hide behind the guise of ‘law’ and self-righteousness.”

Einhorn adds: ‘We will bring forth systematic obstruction of justice, breaches of investigative secrecy, collusion between politicians and the judiciary, interference with freedom of speech, illegal asset transfers, aggravated robbery, and more. An independent investigation, free from political pressure, will expose the full extent of the fraud and reveal how the local ‘mafia’ has been causing undue suffering to honest civilians, investors, and entrepreneurs in the Dordogne for decades.”

Unfortunately, the situation did not end there. According to Einhorn, the case against him severely impacted his health in June 2023. “I had never experienced heart issues before, but I started feeling severe palpitations and decided to consult several doctors and cardiologists. I was diagnosed with hypertension at 200/130 and felt extremely dizzy and light-headed. My attorneys promptly submitted my health report as part of the case. Less than two weeks later, when I went to see my doctor, my health card (carte vitale) was no longer functional. I called the CPAM (health office) to investigate, only to be told that my health card had been canceled because ‘someone’ had provided proof that I was not a French citizen. Shocked, I asked who had sent this proof, but the person on the other end abruptly hung up. Shortly thereafter, I received an official letter from the health authorities stating that my health coverage had been canceled effective immediately and instructed me to contact the ‘health office for foreigners’ for further information.”

Einhorn’s attorneys immediately confronted the prosecuting judge with these findings, but never received an answer. On August 3, 2023, Einhorn challenged the decision by filing a claim with the ‘Commission de Recours Amiable de la Sécurité Sociale’ through his lawyers. No response was provided, and the Social Security offered no justification for its decision whatsoever. Consequently, on October 10, 2023, Einhorn’s lawyer submitted a claim to the Social Division of the Strasbourg Court of Justice against the CPAM du Bas-Rhin. The case is still awaiting a hearing a year later. Meanwhile, Einhorn’s medical expenses remain unreimbursed, disregarding his fundamental rights.

“I guess when they realized that I could die from a heart attack because of my hypertension, they seized the opportunity to condemn me to death by making it impossible for me to seek medical attention”, adds Einhorn. 

“Today, I strongly advise anyone, especially foreign entrepreneurs and investors, against moving to France. The French authorities often project their hypocritical stance on human rights and social justice externally (to places like Palestine and Ukraine) to obscure the harsh reality within. My only ‘crime’ was to invest in France after a 25 year career in the USA, and to succeed. Yet, in a country ruled by jealousy and pettiness, my reward was having everything I built illegally seized by a group of corrupt politicians and individuals. They rob, lie, and destroy lives with complete impunity, while labeling their victims as their criminals – with full media complicity.”

TODAY, THIS INSANITY NEEDS TO STOP. AND I AM PUTTING MY OWN LIFE ON THE LINE TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS! I am starting my hunger strike effective today, Wednesday, September 18, 2024. And no, I am not afraid to die for the right cause! One way or another, there will be a full and complete investigation, either before or after my death. The countdown to the TRUTH has officially begun.

Brigitte Vitale, President of the Association Aide Entreprise OSDEI (Observatoire des Suicides et des Difficultés des Entrepreneurs et Indépendants), a non-profit organization, added:

“Once stripped of their property and extra-property rights, entrepreneurs in France find themselves in a situation of total abandonment: neither heard nor protected. The reality – as absurd as it is ignored by public opinion, which is often indifferent to their plight – is that in France, there are two categories of victims: those deemed worthy of defense, and those abandoned to their fate. Entrepreneurs, by their very nature, evolve in a society that tolerates them without ever really accepting them. They are perceived not as builders, but as permanent suspects, potential fraudsters. As soon as they turn to the law, they are plunged into an unequal battle, as they are not only pitted against their creditors, but also against a legal machine that considers them guilty by default.”

“Although they are being defended by lawyers, the latter, unlike creditors’ and receivers’ lawyers, do not have access to the same resources. Creditors’ and trustees’ lawyers can draw on the assets of companies in difficulty, or benefit from financial assistance from the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs, already stripped of everything, have to finance their own defense with resources they no longer have, creating flagrant inequality and clear discrimination. In violation of their fundamental rights, they find themselves having to defend themselves when they are, by definition, ‘debtors’ and ‘bankrupt’. This legal asymmetry, which condemns entrepreneurs to fight with derisory means, is often tantamount to a social, professional and emotional death sentence, if not death altogether.”

“OSDEI is fighting to ensure that a flagrant injustice ceases to be the norm: that of entrepreneurs condemned to an unequal battle against creditors who have all the means at their disposal. In the courts, these entrepreneurs must finally benefit from the same strength of representation as their creditors, with an entity that defends their fundamental rights as individuals, so that the almost systematic plundering of their personal assets on the altar of a false impartiality that always sees creditors as the only blameless ones ceases.”

To help support Dom’s cause, please visit JUSTICE4DOM.COM.

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(Featured image by  via Pexels)

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