eFinder

eFinder

Home › Article

French masonic lodge at heart of murky murder trial

France24 · · 601 words
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260330-french-masonic-lodge-at-heart-of-mur…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

25 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 15
info Single Source 4
help Insufficient Evidence 4
check_circle Corroborated 1
verified Verified By Reference 1
check_circle
“French masonic lodge at heart of murky murder trial”
CORROBORATED
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Freemasonry in France (French: Franc-maçonnerie) has been influential on the worldwide Masonic movement due to its founding of Continental Freemasonry. There are many and varied Masonic rites and obed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_in_France
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — A Rite, within the context of Freemasonry, refers to a comprehensive system of degrees that hold the capability to initiate and advance a newcomer through various stages of Masonic knowledge and exper…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Masonic_rites
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Masonic ritual is the scripted words and actions that are spoken or performed during the degree work in a Masonic lodge. Masonic symbolism is that which is used to illustrate the principles which Free…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masonic_ritual_and_symbolism
+ 1 more evidence source
verified
“Twenty-two people are to stand trial in France from Monday on charges of murder and other serious crimes centred on a Masonic lodge accused of running hit squads.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Freemasonry in France (French: Franc-maçonnerie) has been influential on the worldwide Masonic movement due to its founding of Continental Freemasonry. There are many and varied Masonic rites and obed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_in_France
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The history of Freemasonry encompasses the origins, evolution and defining events of the fraternal organisation known as Freemasonry. It covers three phases. Firstly, the emergence of organised lodge…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Freemasonry
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The French Rite (French: Rite français) is one of the oldest masonic rites, and the most widely practiced in France and Belgium. It is the direct heir and one of the best preserved ritual of speculati…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Rite
info
“Seven of the defendants -- who include former intelligence agents, soldiers and businessmen -- risk life imprisonment.”
SINGLE SOURCE
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Seven of the defendants -- who include former intelligence agents, soldiers and businessmen -- risk life imprisonment.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260330-french-masoni…
help
“The 22 are accused of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy on behalf of a mafia network inside the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
help
“At least four freemasons from the 20 or so members of the lodge are in the dock.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
info
“Other defendants include four officers from France's DGSE foreign intelligence service, three police officers, six business executives, a security guard, a doctor and an engineer.”
SINGLE SOURCE
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Other defendants include four officers from France's DGSE foreign intelligence service, three police officers, six business executives, a security guard, a doctor and an engineer.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260330-french-masoni…
help
“Most of the accused, aged between 30 and 73, have no previous criminal records.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
info
“The alleged ringleaders are Athanor freemasons Jean-Luc Bagur, Frederic Vaglio and Daniel Beaulieu. They face life in jail if convicted.”
SINGLE SOURCE
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — The alleged ringleaders are Athanor freemasons Jean-Luc Bagur, Frederic Vaglio and Daniel Beaulieu. They face life in jail if convicted.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260330-french-masoni…
info
“So does Beaulieu's right-hand man Sebastien Leroy, who is accused of carrying out the trio's dirty work himself or through a hit-man network.”
SINGLE SOURCE
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — So does Beaulieu's right-hand man Sebastien Leroy, who is accused of carrying out the trio's dirty work himself or through a hit-man network.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260330-french-masoni…
help
“The case was triggered by a botched contract killing in July 2020, when two members of France's parachute regiment were arrested in possession of weapons near the home of business coach Marie-Helene Dini.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
schedule
“Under questioning, they said they thought they had been asked to murder Dini on behalf of the French state on the grounds that she worked for Israeli spy agency Mossad.”
PENDING
schedule
“Investigators discovered a link to Bagur, who is a business coach rival of Dini's as well as being the 69-year-old 'venerable master' of the Athanor lodge.”
PENDING
schedule
“Investigators say Bagur asked fellow freemason Vaglio to arrange to have his rival eliminated for a fee of 70,000 euros ($80,600).”
PENDING
schedule
“Vaglio, a 53-year-old entrepreneur, allegedly acted as the intermediary between the big boss and a hit squad working for fellow Athanor freemason Beaulieu, a retired agent for the domestic intelligence service (DGSI).”
PENDING
schedule
“The leader of the hit squad, Leroy, admitted in police custody that he or his associates carried out most of the Athanor mafia's assaults, robberies and murders -- including the killing of a racing car driver.”
PENDING
schedule
“As time went on, the crimes ordered by the freemason mafia escalated from petty revenge attacks to homicide.”
PENDING
schedule
“In a case of industrial espionage, Leroy's gang allegedly assaulted a businesswoman in the street and snatched her computer.”
PENDING
schedule
“The car of one of Bagur's associates went up in flames in 2019 after she discovered evidence of financial fraud within his company.”
PENDING
schedule
“In 2018, the body of racing driver Laurent Pasquali was found in a forest.”
PENDING
schedule
“He had been bumped off, according to French media, allegedly for not paying a debt he owed to friends of Vaglio's.”
PENDING
schedule
“Leroy, who left the military to become a security guard, told police he thought he had been acting all the time on behalf of the government.”
PENDING
schedule
“He complained that Beaulieu had 'manipulated' him and dangled the idea of him becoming an informant for the DGSI spy agency.”
PENDING
schedule
“It is unclear what information the prosecution may be able to elicit from Beaulieu.”
PENDING
schedule
“He made an apparent attempt to kill himself in police custody, which left him disabled and with 'impaired concentration', his lawyer told AFP.”
PENDING
schedule
“The trial is expected to run for at least three months.”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.