Vivendi had been civil party in October 2002

The two sides of the Atlantic, Jean-Marie Messier in has not finished with the law, wondered about the sincerity of accounts and financial communications for Vivendi in 2002. The former CEO of the Group of media and Telecom, in the heart of the trial that is currently in New York, has to be removed before the correctional tribunal of Paris by the investigating judge Jean-Marie of Huy. Successful grievances: "dissemination of false or misleading information, course manipulation and abuse of social goods". This decision has been made against the opinion of the Prosecutor's Office, who requested a general case. It after seven years of education of the record. In July 2002, while the Vivendi group was going through a severe financial crisis - which had led to the eviction of Jean-Marie Messier - the Association of small active carriers (Appac) had filed a complaint against X, including for disclosure of false information on the financial situation of the company having influenced stock market. Vivendi had been civil party in October 2002.

Six other former leaders of the group or single employees are also a reference to corrections according to the order of 16 October. Among them, the No.1 two Eric Licoys and the former Financial Director Guillaume Hannezo, but Edgar Bronfman Jr. The judge seeks to know whether "j2m" knowingly published false information on the State of the finances of Vivendi and if he did carry out the massive redemption of securities of the group between September 17 and October 2, 2001, in violation apparent stock market regulation. On this last point, the authority of des marchés financiers (AMF), which had also opened an investigation, had, for its part, estimated that he did not proceed with the former boss of Vivendi. Finally, Jean-Marie Messier is also faulted a departure protocol that would guarantee payments EUR 20.5 million, which he finally renounced after several procedures in France and the United States. For its part, Guillaume Hannezo is suspected of "dissemination of false or misleading information", "manipulation of course complicity" and "Insider". Finally, Edgar Bronfman Jr, former Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the group, is being prosecuted for insider trading, after the sale of stock in January 2002, while he had "knowledge of facts not disclosed to the public", according to the order.

"Flagrant contradiction".

Lawyers for the complainants to the origin of the "class action" brought early October before the District Court of New York, hid not yesterday their satisfaction at the announcement of these references in corrections. "This proves that the facts upon which to support collective action are solid and serious." "It is important that the French shareholders are present in the class action in the United States, because they have suffered prejudice", explains Mr. Maxime Delespaul, counsel for the Adam and two French representatives in the "class action" in New York. Considers that this strengthens the French representatives, who were assigned by Vivendi for "abuse of process". Some New York observers are also note the "flagrant contradiction" between the position of Vivendi in New York, where the French group has opted for a defence concerted with Jean-Marie Messier, and that he had to take into France, in part in criminal proceedings against former leaders of Vivendi to avoid prosecution as moral. "It is a surprising and untenable position over the long term," said a lawyer for the complainants.