Twenty-two people linked to the Atanor Masonic lodge have gone on trial in Paris, accused of operating a private French hitman syndicate that carried out racketeering, industrial espionage, and contract killings. The case is being heard before a special criminal court, a format typically reserved for terrorism trials. Prosecutors allege that 112 crimes were committed under the cover of the private society, including 26 serious felonies. Thirteen of the defendants face potential life sentences, while the remaining nine could be sentenced to between 10 and 20 years in prison.
The group’s composition: Masons, intelligence agents, and police
The profile of the accused has drawn significant attention. The defendants range in age from 30 to 73, and most held prestigious positions with no prior criminal records.
The group included at least four Masons, four former agents of the General Directorate for External Security (DGSE)—France’s foreign intelligence service—and three active-duty police officers. Other members included military personnel, business executives, an engineer, and a doctor.
Exposing the French hitman syndicate
The syndicate’s activities were uncovered in the summer of 2020 following a failed assassination attempt. Police arrested two soldiers from a French parachute regiment who were found armed near the home of Marie-Hélène Dini, a business coach.
During questioning, the detainees claimed they were fulfilling a “state order” to eliminate the woman because of her alleged ties to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. Investigators eventually identified the real client as 69-year-old Jean-Luc Bagur, a business rival of Dini and the “venerable master” of the Atanor lodge. He reportedly paid 70,000 euros to have his competitor killed.
Lodge hierarchy and contract killings
The investigation revealed a structured chain of command. Bagur passed orders to Frédéric Vaglio, who then coordinated with Daniel Beaulieu, a former French intelligence agent.
Sébastien Leroy served as the operational leader of the hit squad. Following his arrest, he admitted to several violent acts committed for the lodge. These included an assault on a businesswoman to steal her computer for industrial espionage, the arson of a car belonging to a whistleblower who exposed Bagur’s financial fraud, and the 2018 murder of racing driver Laurent Pasquali, whose body was discovered in a forest.
The French hitman syndicate and the illusion of state service
A central element of the case involves the motivation of the lower-level participants. Leroy and other members of the squad told investigators they were convinced they were working in the interests of the French state.
Former agent Daniel Beaulieu allegedly led them to believe they were performing secret government missions. Whether Beaulieu can provide clear testimony is uncertain; his lawyer states he suffers from severe cognitive impairment after a suicide attempt in custody. Lawyers for the victims have described the case as “horrifying,” arguing that the formation of private death squads by individuals with state authority is an unacceptable breach of law.
