French investigators say the departing chief butler at the Élysée Palace in Paris is accused of siphoning off valuable banquet tableware and selling items online. The official, identified as Thomas M, allegedly worked with two others to remove porcelain, glassware, and decorative objects valued between €15,000 and €40,000. Prosecutors believe the haul included commissions ordered in 2018 by President Emmanuel Macron as part of a €500,000 purchase, alongside older pieces from the 19th century and designs linked to former president Georges Pompidou. Baccarat flutes and a René Lalique figurine are also cited. About 100 objects went missing over two years, officials said, with the losses only detected recently. Listings on the resale site Vinted helped police track the pieces, some of which bore inventory numbers or military markings. A collector, Ghislain M, faces charges for handling stolen goods. His lawyer said he was “co-operating” and added: “He unfortunately allowed himself to be blinded by his passion and regrets that now.”
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