A Paris court on Friday convicted Bernard Squarcini, the former head of France's domestic security services, for misusing public resources to benefit luxury giant LVMH (MC.PA).

The trial exposed the extent of efforts by the world’s largest luxury conglomerate to protect its image.

Squarcini, who led France’s domestic security agency from 2008 to 2012, later took on a role as a security consultant for LVMH.

The court also found him complicit in the illegal surveillance of French lawmaker François Ruffin—who was an activist at the time—along with members of his left-wing publication Fakir. The surveillance targeted Ruffin and his team as they planned to disrupt an LVMH shareholder meeting and prepared their satirical documentary Merci Patron.

Squarcini was sentenced to four years in prison, with two years suspended, and fined 200,000 euros ($217,300). His lawyers announced plans to appeal the verdict.

During the trial, LVMH’s chairman and CEO, Bernard Arnault, testified that he was unaware of the illegal surveillance, which had been ordered nearly a decade ago by a close associate who passed away in 2018.

Ruffin’s lawyer, Benjamin Sarfati, welcomed the court’s decision.

“We are satisfied with this ruling, which serves as a warning. However, we regret that Mr. Bernard Arnault was not among the defendants,” Sarfati said.

Arnault’s testimony became tense at times, with the notoriously private billionaire showing frustration at questioning from Ruffin’s legal team.

LVMH, which previously agreed in 2021 to a 10 million euro settlement to close a criminal probe into its involvement in the case, declined to comment on the ruling. Photo by 663highland, Wikimedia commons.