27/02/2026 – 12:09 GMT+1
The former silverware keeper of the French presidency, his partner and an agent from the Louvre are on trial for the theft of hundreds of pieces of precious crockery from the Élysée Palace.
The case heard by a Paris court on Thursday evening felt almost surreal: Élysée-stamped plates, official tableware associated with the French presidency, had allegedly slipped out of the presidential storerooms and resurfaced online, before ending up with a collector from Versailles.
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Three men are on trial over the theft and resale of around 100 porcelain pieces allegedly taken between 2023 and 2025, worth hundreds of thousands of euros in total.
The central figure is Thomas M, a former presidential silverware and table-service steward who, for five years, managed stock and set the tables for state banquets.
On the stand, Thomas M spoke quietly when facing the judges. Beside him was his partner, Damien G, who runs a tableware sales business and is accused of acting as an intermediary in the resale operation.
The third defendant, Ghislain M, appeared visibly shaken. Dressed in a suit, he had worked since 2023 as a staff member at the Louvre, one of France’s most visited cultural sites.
How plates were spun
The investigation began last year after the National Manufacture of Sèvres, France’s state porcelain maker and a historic supplier to the French presidency, detected plates bearing the Élysée monogram being offered for sale online, including on platforms such as Vinted.
Inside the presidency, the disappearance of the pieces triggered a formal complaint, and investigators soon focused on Thomas M.
According to the case file, the Élysée grew suspicious because he repeatedly made errors in stock records and frequently worked alone.
Thomas M told the court there were no staff searches, despite overseeing around 10,000 valuable objects.
In court, Thomas M admitted the first theft, which dated back to 2023. He explained that he initially took pieces because he found them beautiful and displayed them at home as an enthusiast.
He then said that financial difficulties and mounting debt led the couple to decide to sell the pieces.
His partner, Damien G, is accused of knowingly selling the stolen items. Judges described a resale operation spanning several channels, including a professional Vinted account and transactions through Facebook groups for porcelain collectors.
On the stand, he admitted to receiving stolen objects and reselling them, although he initially claimed he believed the pieces were gifts from Thomas M’s workplace.
Porcelain fan says his life is ‘in pieces’
Ghislain M, described as a porcelain aficionado, said he acquired around 100 pieces from the couple.
He insisted he did not know Thomas M worked at the Élysée and claimed he was unaware the objects were stolen at the time of purchase.
As the hearing progressed, questions became more pointed about how he could have remained in the dark as the number of items accumulated.
Ghislain M eventually conceded he had begun to suspect something but decided to turn a blind eye.
The 30-year-old broke down in court, saying he was “devastated” and that his “life is in pieces” since this case, having lost his job at the Louvre.
The value of the alleged losses is contested. The Sèvres Manufacture estimates the total at €377,370, a figure the defence called “absurd”.
Prosecutors and the civil party argued that the case goes beyond money, stressing the symbolic and historical significance of porcelain supplied by Sèvres, which has provided tableware to the French presidency since 1848.
However, the defendants all insisted the pieces were sold for 15,000 euros.
The prosecutor requested sentences of up to two years in prison, with 16 months suspended for Thomas M, a two-year prison sentence with 18 months suspended for Damien, and two years of prison, including 20 months suspended for Ghislain M.
She also requested a €10,000 fine for all three defendants. The court is expected to deliver its verdict on 16 April.
