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Murder trial opens over alleged masonic lodge crime network in Paris

The Guardian · · 563 words · By Agence France-Presse; Guardian staff reporter
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/30/trial-opens-masonic-lodge-network-…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

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

schedule Pending 9
help Insufficient Evidence 5
info Single Source 3
verified Verified By Reference 1
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“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.”
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cross reference SUPPORTS — 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.
https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260330-french-masonic-l…
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“Seven defendants – including former intelligence agents, soldiers and businessmen – face possible life sentences.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
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“Prosecutors allege the group carried out murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy on behalf of a mafia network inside the Athanor lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux.”
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“At least four Freemasons from the lodge’s roughly 20 members are among those in the dock.”
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is considered the oldest existing secular fraternal or…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Freemasons are an English house music duo from Brighton, East Sussex. The act consists of the producers Russell Small (who is also one half of the house production duo Phats & Small) and James Wiltshi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasons_(DJs)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Since the office of president of the United States was established in 1789, 45 individuals have served in this capacity. Of these, 15, including Lyndon B. Johnson who took only the First Degree, are k…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_presidents_of_the_Unit…
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“Other defendants include four officers from France’s DGSE foreign intelligence service, three police officers, six executives, a security guard, a doctor and an engineer.”
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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…
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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/france/20260330-french-masonic-l…
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“Most of the accused, whose ages range from 30 to 73, have no previous criminal record.”
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 30 for 30 is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This includes four "volumes" of 3…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_for_30
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The .30-30 Winchester / 7.62×52mmR (officially named the .30 Winchester Center Fire or .30 WCF) cartridge was first marketed for the Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle in 1895. The .30-30 (prono…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-30_Winchester
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 30 by 30 (or 30 × 30) is a worldwide initiative for governments to designate 30% of Earth's land and ocean area as protected areas by 2030. The target was proposed by a 2019 article in Science Advance…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_by_30
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“The alleged ringleaders are Jean-Luc Bagur, Frédéric Vaglio and Daniel Beaulieu, all members of the lodge, alongside Beaulieu’s right-hand man Sébastien Leroy, accused of carrying out or organising the violence through a network of hired attackers.”
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“The case was triggered by a failed contract killing in July 2020, when two members of France’s parachute regiment were arrested in possession of weapons near the home of the business coach Marie-Hélène Dini.”
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“They told investigators they believed they had been asked to murder Dini on behalf of the French state, targeting Dini on the grounds that she worked for the Israeli spy agency the Mossad.”
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“Investigators discovered a link to Bagur, 69, a business coach rival of Dini’s and the lodge’s 'venerable master'.”
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cross reference SUPPORTS — 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.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260330-french-masoni…
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“Vaglio, a 53-year-old entrepreneur, allegedly acted as the intermediary between the alleged ringleader and a hit squad led by Beaulieu, a retired officer of the domestic intelligence service (DGSI).”
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“Leroy, the alleged leader of the hit squad, admitted in police custody that he and his associates carried out most of the Athanor mafia’s assaults, robberies and killings – including the murder of a racing driver.”
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“Over time, the crimes ordered by the Freemason mafia escalated from petty revenge attacks to homicide.”
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“In one alleged case of industrial espionage, Leroy’s gang is said to have assaulted a businesswoman in the street and stolen her computer.”
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“In 2019, the car of one of Bagur’s associates was set alight after she uncovered evidence of financial fraud within his company.”
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“In 2018, the body of the racing driver Laurent Pasquali was found in a forest. French media reported that he had been killed, allegedly over an unpaid debt to associates of Vaglio.”
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“Leroy, who left the military to become a security guard, told police he believed he had been acting on behalf of the government.”
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“It is unclear what evidence prosecutors will be able to obtain from Beaulieu, after an apparent suicide attempt in police custody left him disabled and with 'impaired concentration', according to his lawyer.”
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“The trial is expected to last at least three months.”
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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.