Gilbert Chikli features in the Netflix documentary The Masked Scammer, two years after he was sentenced to prison for 10 years. He began scamming as a young boy and is now in his fifties while behind bars for his crime.
He is known as the French conman who impersonated the rich and powerful. “A scammer tries to get a lot of money. Me, I have had money and I always will have. So I really think it was all a game,” Chikli says in the documentary. “I have a gift that works.”
The criminal then added: “What [is the big deal]?” Once Chikli became an adult, he pretended to be various French CEOs, calling middle managers to demand wire transfers be sent to fake accounts.
Meet Gilbert Chikli
Gilbert is a criminal, now in his fifties, who impersonated French government minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to con wealthy individuals out of 80 million euros to help pay ransoms to free French hostages held by Islamist terrorists.
The multi-million dollar con targeted over 150 people: President of Niger, the Prime Minister of Norway, Archbishop of Lyon, the Chateau Margaux wines owner, the King of Belgium, the director general of UNESCO, and other CEOs.
After two years of the scam running, a court in Paris sentenced Chikli to 11 years in jail – which was reduced to ten – for fraud in an organized gang, criminal association, and taking the name of a third party, CNN reports.
His story on The Masked Scammer
Chikli and Anthony Lasarevitsch appeared in video conferences at a fake desk, wearing a dark suit and the mask of Le Drian, while making calls by phone and video links to over 150 targets – three of who were successfully duped.
“Tomorrow morning we wrap it up, so I would like to close this case,” Chikli said in archived audio on the documentary. “It’s important you send me the whole amount, do you understand? It’s in your interest, your highness.”
In 2015, a French court convicted Chikli to seven years in prison for similar scams in 2005 and 2006, when he posed as business chief executives. He was arrested two years later while on the run with Lasarevitsch in Ukraine.
Authorities found pictures of a silicone mask of Prince Albert II of Monaco on their phones, which suggested another hoax was happening. In a farewell message on the series, he apologized before saying:
I am Gilbert Chikli, I’ll always be Gilbert Chikli, and I’ll leave as Gilbert Chikli. That’s all.
Where Netflix star Chikli is today
Gilbert has served two years of his sentence, which was ordered on March 11, 2020. The Times reports that both Chikli and Lasarevitsch were sentenced to 11 years in jail, although these were reduced on appeal.
They were fined €2m and €1m respectively. Upon sentencing, Chikli – who denied the charges but remains in jail today – shouted from the dock, “It’s a scandal. You should be ashamed.” Damages were paid to two high-profile victims.
Turkish tycoon Inan Kirac was paid 44 million euros and 10.6 million euros to spiritual leader Aga Khan. According to many of the victims, to earn their trust an initial phone call was followed up by a Skype video call.
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