Louis Vuitton at the center of a scandal
Due to suspected money laundering
The Dutch branch of Louis Vuitton has found itself at the center of a scandal after local authorities suspected the fashion house of money laundering. According to investigators, their attention was drawn to one particular customer – a Chinese national. Over the course of a year and a half, the woman purchased luxury bags and accessories, always paying in cash and skillfully avoiding the €10,000 threshold – the amount at which buyers are required to report their transactions.
From September 2021 to February 2023, her total purchases reached nearly €3 million. Prosecutors note that such activity should have raised red flags among store employees, yet no alerts were ever filed. Moreover, it turned out that one Louis Vuitton staff member in the Netherlands was cooperating with the client – he would notify her in advance when items in the desired price range became available.
According to the investigation, the purchased goods were later sent to China and Hong Kong, while the funds used to buy them allegedly originated from criminal organizations. Experts point out that luxury items are a convenient tool for laundering money – they can be easily purchased with cash, without disclosing the source of the funds, transported abroad, and resold at a profit if needed.
Photo: Instagram @louisvuitton
