Hermione People & Brands (HPB) does not want to let go. This company, through which the businessman Michel Ohayon owns Go Sport, has the “project to present a plan for the continuation of the activity” of this sign, placed in receivership at the end of January by the Commercial Court of Grenoble.
“HPB confirms its plan to present a plan for the continuation of Go Sport’s activity as part of the company’s receivership,” a spokesperson for the group announced on Friday in a message to AFP, confirming information from France Info.
Intersport in the ranks?
The day before, the general manager of Go Sport, Patrick Puy, had been dismissed by the HPB parent company, two months following his arrival, without HPB speaking on the reasons for this dismissal. Quoted by France Info, Patrick Puy said regarding Michel Ohayon: “He claims that I was a brake on a continuation plan. »
These announcements come as the candidates for the takeover for the sports distributor, which has been in deficit for years and bought at the end of 2021 for a symbolic euro by HPB, had until Friday 2 p.m. to make themselves known.
The Intersport chain of sports stores must make a takeover offer, AFP learned Thursday from a source familiar with the matter, confirming information from Echoswhile the name of the British specialist Sports Direct is also put forward.
The owner of Go Sport in turmoil
Michel Ohayon is currently in turmoil between financial difficulties and a judicial investigation.
An investigation was initially opened by the Grenoble prosecutor’s office for “abuse of social good” within Go Sport, but was later widened. The offenses sought were extended by the Paris public prosecutor’s office to “organized gang scams, habitual money laundering, bankruptcy and abuse of social property”, the Grenoble public prosecutor’s office specified at the end of February, confirming information from the Monde.
According to the daily, the investigation might thus be extended to all the companies of the Financière immobilière bordelaise (FIB), investment fund of the businessman Michel Ohayon and its distribution branch HPB (Hermione, People & Brands ), parent company of Go Sport.