Benin: The CRIET Condemns a Couple for Embezzlement of 294 Million FCFA

The Court of Repression of Economic Crimes and Terrorism (CRIET) delivered its verdict on Monday, August 4, 2025, in a case of embezzlement involving a Beninese banker and her husband.

The couple was found guilty of having orchestrated a large-scale fraudulent scheme that allowed them to embezzle nearly 294 million FCFA from a local bank.

According to the case files, the banker, considered the instigator of the scheme, had created a fictitious company to take out fraudulent loans in the names of non-existent customers or without the knowledge of real account holders. These identities were allegedly provided to her by her husband, who is also being prosecuted in the case.

The CRIET reclassified the crimes as false attestations and money laundering, underscoring the seriousness of the offenses committed. The banker, who had initially been given provisional freedom, is now reportedly on the run, according to information available following the hearing.

The court sentenced the banker to five years in prison and her husband to seven years. In addition to the imprisonment sentences, each is to pay a fine of 441 million FCFA. They are also jointly ordered to repay the total amount embezzled to the aggrieved banking institution.

According to the Libre Espress media, the husband, who has been in preventive detention since 2018, was present when the judgment was pronounced. He could regain his freedom in the coming weeks, as his detention period already covers the inflicted sentence.