Paris court rules against fashion entrepreneur Mehmood Bhatti

PARIS – A French court has convicted Pakistani-origin fashion entrepreneur Mehmood Bhatti in a major tax fraud and money laundering case, marking a dramatic fall from his long-standing image as a self-made success in the European fashion industry. The Paris court handed Bhatti a two-year suspended prison sentence, meaning he will not serve jail time unless he commits another offence. He was also fined 150,000 euros and banned from managing or running any company for 10 years. Authorities additionally confiscated three luxury watches and three Jaguar vehicles as part of the penalties. Bhatti, who moved from Pakistan to France in the 1970s, built his career in the clothing and ready-made garments business before becoming a well-known name in Paris fashion circles during the 1980s. He gained commercial success with widely sold clothing items and later became associated with elite business and celebrity networks in France. According to investigators, the case relates to financial transactions between 2009 and 2014, during which Bhatti allegedly used a United Arab Emirates-based company to conceal funds and evade tax obligations. French authorities said the arrangement was used to finance an extravagant lifestyle. The case, initially decided in 2024, was later reviewed on appeal after Bhatti admitted to the charges before the Paris Court of Appeals, resulting in a reduced sentence. He has previously faced scrutiny in France, including a separate financial investigation in 2001. Once promoted as a prominent example of immigrant success in the fashion industry, Bhatti’s conviction represents a significant reversal of his public image after years of acclaim in both France and Pakistan. NCCIA summons all relevant parties including MPA day after actress Momina Iqbal’s plea