The prospect of a lawsuit from Ikea France is close: the public prosecutor of Versailles has required the reference to corrections of the Swedish giant, accused of illegally filled in on some of its employees, with the complicity of police officers. This indictment of the prosecutor, who also asked for the return of fifteen people, is the culmination of nearly six years of investigation that have lifted the veil on a system within the methods of secret agents have little to do with the brand image of a group of furniture is world famous.
The public prosecutor has in particular required the holding of a trial for violations of professional secrecy and illegal collection of personal data for the benefit of Ikea France, his side accused of concealment of these crimes, said on Thursday a source close to the investigation. “My clients welcome the position of the prosecution and we hope that it will be followed by the investigating judge,” said Sofiane Hakiki, a lawyer of the trade unions CGT and FO, and several employees. The judge now has three months to make its decision.
Ikea France has declined to comment on the indictment of the prosecutor, not having been notified. “Ikea France, since the beginning of the process, has always collaborated with the judicial institution”, simply stated the lawyer of the brand, Emmanuel Daoud. The house-mother has responded by wanting to “remember that the charges against [its subsidiary] is in total contradiction with its values, and Ikea continues to cooperate fully so that all the light be done”, she said in a press release.
It all started in February 2012, when le Canard enchaîné reveals that the management of the company is suspected of having put in place a structured system of supervision of certain employees, in particular those in the trade union activity is considered embarrassing. The goal: to collect a maximum of information on their criminal background or about the state of their bank account.
Actors spies
The sign is in particular suspected of having passed on a “contract” with police officers having access to the “STIC”, a huge file police officer, listing the authors and the victims of offences, so that they transmit confidential data. Four police officers have been indicted in this case. The unions also accuse the management of Ikea France have recruited “implants”, of actors whose sole mission was to spy on their colleagues and write reports.
The name of the company intelligence private (CSG), involved in another case of espionage of employees in a group of retirement homes, appears in the folder Ikea. A report, that the AFP was able to consult, provides details of the elements of the personal life of some employees, their friendships and supports within the company, and in the manner envisaged for the return of these supports.
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