Prison sentences requested for €1m MaPrimeRenov’ fraud

Prosecutors have demanded up to four years in prison for seven people accused of stealing more than €1 million in an “organised” fraud concerning the French energy renovation scheme MaPrimeRenov’.

Seven men – six French nationals and one Turkish national, aged between 27 and 46 – are currently on trial for their alleged part in the fraud, suspected of having been part of “a structured organisation set up with the aim of illegally diverting public funds”, states the European prosecutor Emmanuelle Fraysse.

Each “had their own role” in the “structured organisation”, which claimed to make energy audits of properties, she said.

Housing agency l’Agence nationale de l'habitat (which distributes the MaPrimeRenov’ grants) is seeking €1.13 million for material damages, and €100,000 for moral damages. TF1 Info reports that consumer protection association Que Choisir Ensemble (formerly known as UFC-Que Choisir), has also sought €100,000 for damages suffered by consumers.

The MaPrimeRenov’ scheme is a government-funded grant initiative that enables homeowners to claim financial aid to partially cover renovation projects that make homes more eco-friendly.

Prison and fines demanded

Prosecutor Ms Fraysse has called for four years in prison (including two suspended) for one defendant, named Enes A. The prosecutor claimed that Mr A. was “at the heart of the fraud” and the “de facto manager” of the company that submitted the fraudulent claims (called UG Audit).

She has also called for three years imprisonment (one suspended) for two other men; one, Arif D., is accused of being another “mastermind” in the fraud, and responsible for “verifying the purported audits carried out”, she said. Another man, Pierre-Alexandre T. was allegedly responsible for recruiting and managing the sales network, she added.

She has also called for between 18 months and two years’ imprisonment for four other defendants, for their role in allegedly providing the certifications necessary for the fraud, and carrying out audits without the necessary skills or certification.

She has also sought fines of between €20,000 and €100,000 for the men, and a five-year ban on the practice of any profession involving the canvassing of private individuals.

Organisation denial

The men deny the allegations, particularly those concerning the “organised” claims, and say that their actions were not related to those of the other accused.

Instead, they say that the fraud was a result of “mistakes made by young entrepreneurs”, “negligence”, and “a lack of regulatory knowledge”.

The trial is continuing, with the defence’s closing arguments, today (March 24).

Fighting fraud

The case comes just a month after the MaPrimeRenov’ scheme resumed operations following a short pause on grants, as the government sought to fight fraud associated with the initiative, and due to a lack of funding.

Following the promulgation of the (delayed) 2026 budget on February 19, it was able to reopen.

It has seen a number of changes, including amendments to certain measures introduced in September 2025, following the scheme’s suspension over the summer as the government looked to tackle widespread fraud related to the scheme.

Several requirements remain, such as the necessity for work to be carried out by an RGE-certified professional, and for the property to be a main home.