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Rabat – The Tribunal Court of Bayonne, located in the southwestern region of France, has sentenced 54-year-old Maxime Dubois to ten months in prison after she scammed nearly €400,000 (MAD 4.2 million) from her friends.
The scheme involved investments from 12 close friends with the intention to build a luxury hotel and spa in Morocco’s southern, coastal town of Oualidia.
The town is located between El Jadida and Safi and is famous for its tranquil beaches and delectable molluscs such as oysters and clams.
Back in 2014, Dubois, a French national, manipulated her friends by promising shares of the property’s future revenue. In addition, French news source France Bleu reported that one individual offered his entire life savings, reaching nearly €100,000 (MAD).
On May 18, the Bayonne Court sentenced the woman to a ten month prison sentence for breach of trust; the verdict also declared that the defendant would have to reimburse each one of her victims.
Dubois reportedly spent all of the investments on personal needs and has yet to respond to the media regarding her wrongdoings.
However, Dubois’ lawyer stated that the court’s ruling was “legal nonsense” and intends to file an appeal with the court.
Morocco is no stranger to property scams and investment schemes.
In April 2021, the Moroccan real estate company Bzioui Immo scammed residents of a newly built residence in the Casablanca suburb of Bouskoura. After paying for apartments Bzioui Immo promised to deliver within a few months, residents have waited nearly four years for the keys but to no avail.
Read also: Moroccan Real Estate Promoter Scams Hundreds, Delays Handing Over Date
