Fugitive who faked own death found enjoying lavish lifestyle in French castle

A “high-profile fugitive” who faked his own death and bought a €3m (£2.6m) castle in France has been arrested, police said.

The man, who was wanted for corruption in Ukraine, was detained near Dijon in Burgundy on suspicion of international fraud and money laundering.

Europol said it had seized assets totalling €4.6m (£4m) including the Chateau de La Rochepot, a vintage Rolls Royce Phantom car and three works of art by Salvador Dali.

The suspect had evaded justice in his home country by producing forged death certificates, the EU law enforcement agency said in a statement.

“It was established that the suspect was not only alive, but was enjoying a lavish lifestyle in France,” a spokesperson said.“The suspect is thought to be behind a complex case of international fraud and money laundering.”

The investigation began in January when French gendarmes began probing suspicious transactions surrounding the purchase of the castle.

It emerged that the ultimate beneficial owner was “a Ukrainian citizen suspected of corruption at a large scale in his country”, said Europol.

“Given the international dimension of the case, the French authorities rapidly requested Europol’s support. The scope of the French investigation subsequently changed drastically: the case went from a case of domestic fraud to one of international money laundering of the proceeds of corruption.”

Three accomplices were also arrested, police said.

The castle in La Rochepot, in the Cote d’Or region of Burgundy, attracts more than 20,000 visitors a year, according to French media reports.