Northern France: Fraud Press Review (October 2020)

Back To Blog

Another company has faced a ransomware attack in the Northern France, and a former football player from Lens has been sentenced to prison for a massive unemployment insurance fraud in October.

Marles-les-Mines: an automotive manufacturing plant victim of a ransomware attack

A factory producing bumpers for the automotive industry in Marles-les-Mines near Béthune has recently faced a cyberattack. The hackers have attacked several plants belonging to the industrial group based in the United States, by encrypting data on the IT systems of the factories. The production site has worked in a “degraded mode” during a few days but ensures that it has not suffered from any major technical consequences or plant stops. The ransom claimed by the hackers and the answer given by the company have not been disclosed. This kind of cyberattack is frequent and the companies located in the Northern France may also be concerned by this risk.

Lens: a former football player sentenced to prison for a massive unemployment insurance fraud

Nenad Kovacevic, a former Serbian football player who played for Racing Club de Lens from 2006 to 2011, has been sentenced by the criminal court in Nimes for an important unemployment insurance fraud. The former player, now 40 years old, unduly received the amount of 113 000 euros after he left the club of Nîmes and while he was still playing in a professional team in Belgrade. He was not living in France anymore and was not unemployed either, but he provided fake documents with the help of his wife. Nenad Kovacevic has been sentenced to 12 months of prison including 6 months of suspended prison, a fine of 30 000 euros, and the reimbursement of the amount unduly received together with his ex-wife.