Le Monde, a Distorted Mirror of a Fugitive: When Journalism Distorts Justice !
This cartoon is worth a thousand words. It powerfully illustrates the case of a fugitive polished up by the French newspaper Le Monde, in what appears to be a carefully orchestrated media whitewashing operation. At the center of this setup: Mehdi Hijaouy, a former low-ranking Moroccan intelligence officer turned international fraudster, now the subject of an Interpol arrest warrant.
In its July 17, 2025 edition, Le Monde gave this controversial figure an unexpected platform, uncritically echoing his lawyers’ narrative while deliberately ignoring the damning facts contained in his legal file.
Behind a spy-thriller-style narrative, the article attempts to rewrite the story of a man pursued for fraud, document forgery, money laundering, and illegal immigration, portraying him instead as a victim of an alleged “internal purge.” But the facts are stubborn: Hijaouy was expelled from Moroccan intelligence for serious professional misconduct in 1995, briefly reinstated in 2005, and permanently dismissed in 2010. Far from being a high-ranking official, he never held a strategic position or had access to classified information. This victimhood narrative is clearly aimed at restoring the image of a man pursued not for his beliefs, but for his actions.
The French newspaper, supposedly committed to rigor and plurality, chose to ignore the testimonies of numerous Moroccan, French, and African victims defrauded by Hijaouy. Using false identities like “royal advisor representative” or “senior security official,” he orchestrated multiple scams extending into Europe. These schemes were documented by several victims, including businessman Mustafa Aziz, who published a detailed video exposing Hijaouy’s methods and accomplices.
Even more troubling is the source of the fugitive’s financial and legal support. His two Parisian lawyers, William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth—well-known for their legal activism—raise serious questions. Bourdon, a former Transparency International associate, has recently been criticized for defending figures close to authoritarian regimes. Brengarth specializes in defending controversial clients, including those in terrorism-related cases. The swift relay of Le Monde’s article by media outlets linked to the Emirati intelligence apparatus, led by Tahnoun bin Zayed, also fuels suspicions of Abu Dhabi’s involvement in this operation.
Ultimately, this attempt to politicize a solid criminal case is less about justice and more about diversion. Unable to challenge the facts, Hijaouy’s lawyers are trying to create a media smokescreen, counting on the misleading prestige of a major newspaper to obscure the truth. But the law is not erased by storytelling. This is not a matter of “freedom of expression,” but of accountability for a man accused of serious and transnational crimes. The public and the courts deserve better than a fabricated truth crafted in Parisian salons.