A landmark criminal trial opens in France this week, exposing a shocking conspiracy allegedly orchestrated within a Masonic lodge that involved intelligence operatives, police officers, and business executives. Twenty-two defendants face charges including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy in what prosecutors describe as a mafia-style network operating from the Athanor Masonic Lodge in Puteaux, a Paris suburb.
Among the accused are four officers from France’s DGSE foreign intelligence service, three police officers, six business executives, and various professionals including a security guard, doctor, and engineer. Most remarkably, the majority of these defendants, ranging in age from 30 to 73, have no prior criminal records.
The alleged masterminds—Jean-Luc Bagur (69-year-old ‘venerable master’ of the lodge), entrepreneur Frédéric Vaglio (53), and retired domestic intelligence agent Daniel Beaulieu—face potential life imprisonment. Their alleged enforcer, Sébastien Leroy, stands accused of personally carrying out or coordinating violent acts through a network of hitmen.
The investigation began in July 2020 when two members of France’s parachute regiment were arrested with weapons near the home of business coach Marie-Hélène Dini. Their interrogation revealed a supposed state-sanctioned hit mission, allegedly targeting Dini because they believed she worked for Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency.
Instead, investigators uncovered a web of criminal activities originating from business rivalries within the Masonic lodge. The conspiracy allegedly began with Bagur offering Vaglio €70,000 to eliminate his professional competitor Dini. Vaglio reportedly connected Bagur with Beaulieu, who utilized Leroy’s services for violent operations.
Leroy’s confession revealed an escalating pattern of crimes including assault, robbery, and murder. Notable cases include the 2018 killing of racing driver Laurent Pasquali over alleged debts, the violent street assault of a businesswoman for industrial espionage purposes, and the arson of an associate’s vehicle after she discovered financial fraud within Bagur’s company.
A disturbing aspect of the case involves Leroy’s claim that he believed he was acting on government orders throughout the operations. The psychological manipulation allegedly extended to promises of becoming a formal informant for France’s domestic intelligence agency.
The trial, expected to last at least three months, raises profound questions about the abuse of institutional power and the infiltration of criminal elements within organizations traditionally dedicated to public service.