2023-12-15 19:43:17
The two men, a business provider and a technician, had developed a fraud consisting of opening the Linky meter, owned by Enedis, to install a diversion system, resulting in an artificial reduction of up to 75%. the electricity consumption recorded, according to the prosecutor.
The operation, billed between 1,000 and 2,500 euros, had been repeated hundreds of times in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, among individuals, craftsmen, businesses, and even elected officials. “They are all perpetrators of the organized gang fraud, including the customers,” underlined Étienne Manteaux.
At the end of a guilty plea procedure (appearance on prior admission of guilt – CRPC), the technician, 31 years old, was sentenced to two years in prison, one of which was suspended on probation, the obligation to reimburse Enedis, a fine of 10,000 euros, 15 years ban from running a business, and confiscation of numerous valuable items.
The business provider, 46 years old, was sentenced to one year in prison with suspended probation and the obligation to reimburse Enedis.
A growing phenomenon
In the coming weeks, criminal charges, alternative measures to prosecution, will be put in place for customers who have had these systems installed with a view to fines, in addition to reimbursement requests made by Enedis.
“The openings of the meters are recorded by Enedis”, which provided a list of customers concerned to the courts, specified Étienne Manteaux. “I invite the people who had this device installed to contact the authorities themselves to regularize the situation, before the gendarmes come to observe the fraud. »
The prosecutor was concerned regarding a “growing” phenomenon, which according to him concerns “tens of thousands of meters” at the national level. Enedis welcomes the “significant criminal response provided by the Besançon court” to these frauds which generate “an additional financial cost for all customers”.
“Energy theft through illegal modification of an installation presents a safety risk (fire, electrocution),” recalls the operator.
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