Matthieu Tabaud, a resident of Bordeaux, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and a €50,000 fine by the criminal court of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The verdict was delivered on May 21, 2026, after a swift deliberation by five professional magistrates. Tabaud was found guilty of systematically defrauding a 90-year-old woman, identified as a nonagenarian, leading to her financial ruin and forced relocation to Morocco.
According to court documents, Tabaud exploited the elderly victim's trust over several years, draining her savings and assets. The scheme left her destitute, prompting her to move to Morocco, where she now lives in precarious conditions. The court emphasized the severity of the abuse of a vulnerable person, noting the psychological and financial devastation caused.
The case has drawn attention to elder fraud in France, with advocates calling for stronger protections. The victim's family expressed relief at the sentence but lamented the irreversible harm. Tabaud's defense argued for a lighter sentence, citing his client's remorse, but the court deemed the crime too grave for leniency.
