Another Qatari Regime Scandal In France: Qatari Official Investigated By French Authorities; Earlier, In 2016, Qatari Ambassador Had Allegedly Bribed A French Minister

In light of a new investigation to be launched in France into the unlawful pressure allegedly exerted by Nasser Al-Khelaifi, an official in the Qatari regime, against the French media group Lagardère, MEMRI is republishing a January 2024 report about the bribing of French socialist politician and then-French Assembly member Jean-Marie Le Guen by a Qatari ambassador and member of the ruling family.

On February 5, 2025, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of the Qatar-owned French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was placed under formal investigation by financial prosecutors in France, on charges of "complicity" in vote buying, undermining the freedom to vote, and abuse of power. Al-Khelaifi is a member of the Qatar Investment Authority – a shareholder of the media group Lagardère – and investigators believe that he may have used his power to sway the wealth fund's position during a contentious vote on the Lagardere group's governance. Al-Khelaifi denies wrongdoing.

Qatar reportedly threatened to leave PSG and cease all investments in France, in sports and other areas, if the investigation against Al-Khelaifi goes forward, on the grounds that this comprises a "witch hunt" against Qatar.

Al-Khelaifi is also being investigated by Parisian magistrates over accusations in the January 13, 2020 arrest and detention in Qatar of Franco-Algerian lobbyist Tayeb Benabderrahmane, a former advisor to Qatar. Benabderrahmane had worked closely with Al-Khelaifi to improve Qatar's image in the Francophone world. Al-Khelaifi denies the accusations and has himself filed a complaint.[1]

Below is MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10977, The Raven Project Leaks: In 2016, During His Tenure As Qatari Ambassador To France, Mashal Bin Hamad Aal Thani, Now Qatari Ambassador To The U.S., Reportedly Bribed French Minister, first published November 22, 2023.

The Raven Project Leaks: In 2016, During His Tenure As Qatari Ambassador To France, Mashal Bin Hamad Aal Thani, Now Qatari Ambassador To The U.S., Reportedly Bribed French Minister – November 22, 2023

The following is a translation of a document in Arabic that was leaked as part of Project Raven.[2] The leaked Qatari document reportedly reveals that former Qatari Ambassador to France Mashal bin Hamad Aal Thani, who is currently Qatari Ambassador to the U.S., bribed French Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament Jean-Marie Le Guen in March 2016.

The alleged bribery scandal has been discussed in the French media. Mashal Aal Thani never sued the French news website, Blast, that reported on this.[3]

Qatari Embassy in Paris

Date: March 23, 2016

Secret

The Honorable Sheikh Muhammad bin Abd Al-Rahman Aal Thani

Foreign Minister

The Foreign Ministry

Doha

Warm greetings, and now to the matter at hand:

Pursuant to Your Honor's letter (no. w kh/5/1461/2016), of March 16, 2016, regarding Mr. Jean-Marie Le Guen, Secretary of State for Relations with the French Parliament, I am happy to inform you that, in accordance with your request in the abovementioned letter, a sum of 160,000 (one hundred and sixty thousand) euros has been transferred to Mr. Jean-Marie Le Guen out of the custody cash that remains at the Embassy and is intended for public relations. This is in return for his future services to the state of Qatar.

I am also happy to append the (secret) agreement protocol between the Qatari Embassy and Mr. Jean-Marie Le Guen, Secretary of State for Relations with the French Parliament.

For your information,

Respectfully yours,

Mashal bin Hamad Aal Thani

The Ambassador