It's a case that seems straight out of a spy novel, but the violence is very real. This Monday, the Paris Assize Court opens the trial of the "Athanor affair." For three months, 22 defendants—aged 30 to 73—will have to answer for attempted murder, aggravated assault, and criminal conspiracy.

The spark: a failed contract against a coach

The case broke in July 2020. Two soldiers were arrested near the home of Marie-Hélène Dini , a business coach. Convinced they were acting on behalf of the French state against a foreign agent, they were stunned to discover they had been manipulated.

The target was not a spy, but the business rival of Jean-Luc Bagur , the "venerable master" of the Athanor Masonic lodge. He allegedly paid 70,000 euros to have his competitor eliminated, activating a criminal network embedded within his own fraternity to achieve this.

A recruitment process with diverse profiles

The Athanor lodge, based in Puteaux, served as a hub for a veritable network of shady dealings. Among the 22 defendants, the mix of personalities is striking:

1. 4 military personnel from the DGSE.
2. 3 police officers and intelligence agents.
3. Business leaders, a doctor and an engineer.

At the top of the pyramid, a trio of Freemasons: Jean-Luc Bagur (the mastermind), Frédéric Vaglio (the intermediary) and Daniel Beaulieu , a former secret service agent in charge of criminal logistics.

A catalogue of crimes "à la carte"

The investigation uncovered around a hundred offenses and crimes committed by this organization, the violence of which was escalating:

1. Homicide: The 2018 assassination of pilot Laurent Pasquali , executed over a murky debt dispute. His body was found in a forest in Haute-Loire.
2. Politics and extortion: Violent attacks targeting local elected officials (such as in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés), plans to neutralize Congolese political opponents, or attempts at extortion against a Russian billionaire.

Some members, like Sébastien Leroy, claim to have been "sucked into" this machine, initially thinking they were serving the interests of France before becoming executors for private contracts.

The shadow of a forced silence?

The trial is taking place in a tense atmosphere, marked by Daniel Beaulieu 's precarious health. In 2021, while incarcerated, the former officer was found severely injured in his cell, lying in a pool of blood.

Now 72 years old and confined to a wheelchair, the man who held the keys to this network claims to have lost his memory following the trauma. Whether it was an "accident" or an attempt to silence him remains a subject of debate. The main instigators face life imprisonment .