Congolese singer Gims detained in France for organized money laundering investigation

«The Congolese singer and rapper Gims was taken into custody on Tuesday upon his arrival at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport in France, as part of an investigation into organized money laundering», announced the French National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (Pnaco) on Wednesday.

The 39-year-old artist, whose real name is Gandhi Djuna, is being questioned under a judicial commission of inquiry in a case managed by the specialized Parisian prosecutor's office. When contacted by AFP, his lawyer, David-Olivier Kaminski, did not immediately respond.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Gims was apprehended by the national judicial customs service as he disembarked from the plane, before being taken into custody.

As reported by Africa Intelligence, the investigation is centered on an international money laundering network involving numerous shell companies set up across several countries. This system allegedly facilitated the evasion of VAT and other taxes, the issuance of false invoices, and the concealment of the origin of funds from illicit activities.

The specialized media outlet also highlights the alleged involvement of five former drug traffickers from the Paris region who have shifted to financial crime. The investigations are particularly focused on a luxury real estate project in Marrakech, called «Sunset Village Private Residences», which is promoted by the artist.