Paris Trial Opens for 22 in Masonic Lodge Crime Network

A trial involving 22 defendants accused of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy opened Monday in Paris, centering on an alleged criminal network operating within the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the suburb of Puteaux. Prosecutors claim the lodge functioned as a hub for organized violent acts, with seven of the accused, including former intelligence agents, soldiers and business executives, facing potential life sentences if convicted.

The proceedings, expected to last at least three months, stem from a series of crimes prosecutors link to a structured chain of command inside the lodge. Among the defendants are four officers from France's foreign intelligence service, the DGSE; three police officers; a retired officer from the domestic intelligence agency, the DGSI; six business executives; a security guard; a doctor; and an engineer. At least four are identified as members of the Athanor Lodge, which had around 20 members at the time. Most defendants, aged 30 to 73, have no prior criminal records.

At the core of the allegations are three alleged ringleaders: Jean-Luc Bagur, 69, the lodge's former venerable master and a business coach; Frédéric Vaglio,...