Fès: convictions in money-laundering case linked to 'Esprit de Fès' foundation
The Fès criminal court has handed down sentences in a money-laundering case concerning the 'Esprit de Fès' foundation. The defendants have appealed.
Fès: convictions in money-laundering case linked to 'Esprit de Fès' foundation
On 3 June 2026, the criminal justice system in Fès ruled at first instance on a case of fund laundering involving several officials of the 'Esprit de Fès' association, including Abderrafii Zouiten and Faouzi Skali. The defendants immediately filed an appeal.
The court imposed on each defendant found guilty a custodial sentence of twenty-four months suspended, coupled with a financial penalty set at one hundred thousand dirhams. Furthermore, the magistrates ordered the seizure of immovable property acquired after 3 May 2007, proportionally to the ownership shares of each convicted person. The moveable assets and frozen bank accounts were awarded to the State and the Treasury.
However, the court lifted the sequestration measures on land and property acquired before that critical date of 3 May 2007, with the exception of those subject to other proceedings. It should be noted that at that time, Zouiten was not yet at the head of the organisation, a position he only took on from 2013 onwards.
The proven offence retained against all the accused is the laundering of capital of illicit origin.
Me Mohammed Debbagh, counsel for the civil parties, expressed his surprise to Medias24 at a judgment which he considers unexpected, especially since some of the individuals sanctioned here had been acquitted in the main component of the case. The defence counsel specified that he had already filed an appeal, with a hearing expected in approximately three weeks.
Source: Medias24
Source: Google News MA