Searches were launched on Tuesday, November 15, in “several dozen” nursing homes of the Orpea group in France, which must be spread out “over several days”.
SourceAFP
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PSeveral searches were launched Tuesday morning in establishments of the private group Orpea, as part of the preliminary investigation for “institutional abuse”, said the Nanterre prosecution, confirming information from Mediapart. These searches, carried out “throughout France”, began Tuesday morning and must be spread out “over several days”, specified a source close to the file to AFP, the gendarmes of the Central Office for the fight against attacks to the environment and public health (OCLAESP) targeting a total of “several dozen establishments” of Orpea.
Already in June, the headquarters of the group and the regional directorates had been the subject of searches as part of the same investigation for “institutional mistreatment”, but also of another, opened for financial crimes. The exploitation of this June search is still in progress. Contacted by AFP, Orpea assured that it was “mobilized to support ongoing investigations”.
A book-investigation at the heart of the revelations
Orpea, present in 23 countries and which manages more than 350 establishments in France, has been in turmoil since the publication, in January, of the book-investigation The Gravediggers, written by journalist Victor Castanet. The journalist denounces the mistreatment of residents, the misuse of public funds and shortcomings in the management of personnel. At the end of two administrative investigations, the government had made a report to the justice. At the end of April, a two-part investigation, one for institutional abuse and the other for financial offences, was opened by the Nanterre prosecution.
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These investigations had been joined to an investigation already underway for breaches of labor law. The component of institutional mistreatment is based in particular on around fifty complaints from families of residents for “endangering the lives of others”, “non-assistance to a person in danger”, “manslaughter” and “violence by negligence”. . Lawyer Sarah Saldmann represents a large majority. “These searches are a good thing, it will perhaps bring to light certain possible and unidentified actions so far,” she told AFP. At the same time, Orpea filed a complaint against X and a preliminary investigation was opened in mid-May, in particular for misuse of corporate assets.