The « queen of the paparazzi » Mimi merchant in court for suspicions of blackmail against Karine the merchant – Liberation

Already indicted in the « Save Sarko » affair, Mimi merchantconsidered the « queen of the paparazzi », finds herself again in court this Monday, May 26, for suspicions of blackmail against The host of M6 Karine Le Marchand. The two women will find themselves in the same courtroom of the Paris Criminal Court until June 2. On the defendant side: merchant, 78, tried for extortion. Opposite, the merchant the host of Love is in the meadow and civil party.

At the opening of the trial this Monday, an unusual scene arrived: the Russian artist Piotr Pavlenski got up to make a statement. « Before I start I have to tell you one thing. Mimi Marchand must be completely relaxed in this case which concerns political porn ”, said Standing Piotr Pavlenski, concerned by one of the components which is worth a trial in Mimi Marchand. The president and the police officiates with the order to be silent, and the latter ended up expeling him by dragging him out of the room as he continued to shout.

The case which opposes Mimi Marchand to Karine Le Marchand dates back to February 2020 with the complaint of the presenter at the IGPN, the police. At the time, her daughter, a minor, was photographed leaving police custody for cannabis acquisition. Karine the merchant then learned it by a « source » who has « blocked » The publication of photos against remuneration. But the host is convinced that the paparazzi was necessarily informed by police officers, so she decides to file a complaint.

This mentioned source is none other than Mimi Marchand, the dreaded Papese of the People press with the impressive address book. They met in 2016, when Mimi Marchand played the intermediary to try to convince Emmanuel Macron to participate in An intimate ambitionthe political program of Karine Le Marchand.

After police custody, Mimi Marchand warns the host that a « Young photographer » Unknown came to his Bestimages agency with the photos: « I rotten him, I told him it was stupid because your daughter was minor and you were not even in the photo »she says, saying that she had recovered the images against 3,000 euros. « Don’t worry, it’s not going to come out »reassures Mimi Marchand. « Thank you Mimi, I will rear it to you. I already owe you money. My daughter is my princess, she already morfle to have a famous mother, I want her to be soothed (and without firecracker) ”writes the host. A lunch is quickly organized, Karine le Marchandles « Refund » About half and promises to complete quickly.

Time passes and the two women take news by message during the summer. Karine Le Marchand: « How are you ? I owe you money, I do not forget « . Mimi merchant: “We’ll see this at the start of the school year, the times are hard. I wouldn’t have allowed you to relaunch you ! « 

A year later, the host recalls the IGPN. She is « Harlled » by Mimi Marchand who keeps asking her to remind her. The host says that she is too busy at the moment and Mimi Marchand writes: « It will be too late … it’s a shame for the little one ». In interrogation, Mimi Marchand challenged any form of pressure and assured that it was Karine the merchant who had « Insisted » to take the money. The queen of the people explained that she has revived the TV host by phone so that she can prepare an answer if the case was coming out in the press. Justice suspects her, on the contrary, of having worked to recover the photos to exercise this blackmail.

The investigation will also reveal that the photographer was not at all a young age but the famous paparazzi Sébastien Valiela (also tried), 53, known for having photographed Mazarine Pingeot with François Mitterrand in 1994. He also produced the stolen shots of François Hollande and Julie Gayet published in January 2014 by Closer. Several police officers are also tried for providing information from police custody.

These same police officers are also suspected of having given information to the photographer concerning the upcoming arrest of Alexandra de Taddeo and her then companion, Piotr Pavlenski, three days before police custody of the daughter of the host of M6. The shots of the Russian artist on the ground on the ground, handcuffed in the back, had then made the headlines Paris Match.

Updated At 2:20 p.m. with the exclusion of Piotr Pavlenski at the opening of the trial.