FRANCOIS INVESTIGATION: CROOK’S EMPIRE WOUND UP AS COURT HEARS OF DODGY EMAILS

March 15, 2011

THE FRENCH crook who ripped off 200 Donegal people for millions of euro has had receivers appointed to his business, offering protection to those who invested in his fake scheme.

And a court has heard how Francois de Dietrich is still sending emails to some of those investors – despite being warned to stop.

The High Court in Belfast has moved to protect creditors of the company run by the on-the-run businessman Francois de Dietrich, with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) being granted an order which allowed them to appoint provisional receivers to his ETIC Solutions.

The order also prevents the company from making preferential creditor payments, in other words all investors will be treated equally.

It is the clearest indication yet that anyone who wants their money back from the scam which de Dietrich set up should contact the UK FSA.

The FSA said de Dietrich was believed to be behind an illegal investment scheme.

Several people are seeking judgments against ETIC which operated on both sides of the border.

An application to have ETIC Solutions wound up is due to be heard next month and will not be affected by the appointment of provisional receivers.

In January Francois de Dietrich was committed to an 18-month prison sentence after he failed to comply with a court order insisting he reveal where his assets were held.

The businessman was not in court to hear the sentence being passed and since then police have not been able to ascertain his whereabouts.

The FSA earlier obtained a high court order restraining any potential unauthorised activity and freezing Stg£20,223,485.

The court was told that while the company’s offices in Derry were closed, there was evidence of some ETIC investors receiving e-mails.

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