Mehmood Bhatti, previously recognised for his rise to fame in France’s ready-to-wear fashion sector, has now confessed to tax fraud and aggravated money laundering in front of the Paris Court of Appeals.
According to the French newspaper, Le Monde, he pleaded guilty to tax fraud activities that occurred between 2009 and 2014.
For many years, Mehmood Bhatti portrayed himself as a self-made success story, an immigrant who ascended from anonymity to the pinnacle of Paris fashion through assertions of talent, determination, and business acumen.
He received a two-year suspended prison sentence, was fined €150,000, prohibited from managing companies for a decade, and instructed to abandon luxury possessions, which included three Jaguar cars and high-end watches.
Investigators revealed a complex network of financial transactions channeled through a UAE-based firm, purportedly used to fund an extravagant lifestyle that contrasted with the carefully crafted image he maintained for many years.
Who is Mehmood Bhatti?
Mehmood bhatti was once hailed in Pakistan as a representation of overseas achievement and philanthropy.
He socialised freely with political elites, celebrities, and business leaders, while garnering state-level accolades and public acknowledgment.
In his autobiography published in 1999 and various interviews, he called himself a self-made entrepreneur who ascended the social hierarchy through diligence, business acumen, and perseverance.
His most famous product, a black faux-leather jacket, is reported to have sold several million units.
His narrative also inspired the character portrayed by Richard Anconina in the 1997 French film La Vérité si je mens (Would I Lie to You?), directed by Thomas Gilou.
Read more: Why Gul Ahmed continues to lead the fashion industry in Pakistan
