Court Sets July 20 Trial in Tahkout Billions Laundering Case

The Economic and Financial Criminal Court in Sidi M’Hamed has scheduled July 20 as the new date to open proceedings in the case involving the transfer of billions of dinars belonging to imprisoned businessman Mohieddine Tahkout by private investors and laundered through the purchase of real estate and assets abroad.

The postponement was granted at the request of the defense team. After the detained defendants entered the courtroom, the presiding judge called the parties to the case—including the accused and the civil claimants—before officially adjourning the hearing to July 20. The defendants are expected to appear before the court’s First Division to face serious charges.

The detained defendant was identified as S.N. faces multiple counts, including money laundering of criminal proceeds within the framework of an organized criminal group and through the misuse of professional privileges. Additional charges include concealing criminal proceeds derived from corruption offenses, laundering funds through the transfer and movement of assets, disguising their true nature, origin, location, method of disposal and circulation, and concealing rights linked to those assets while exploiting professional facilitation mechanisms within a criminal network.

He is also charged with influence peddling by offering, granting, or soliciting undue advantages—directly or indirectly—or inciting public officials or others to abuse their actual or presumed influence in order to secure improper benefits for himself or third parties, in addition to concealing all or part of the proceeds generated from corruption-related crimes.

The charges were brought under Article 389 bis and Article 389 bis 2 of the Penal Code, Article 32 (paragraph 1), Article 43 of the Law on the Prevention and Countering Corruption, and Article 2 of the amended and supplemented Law on the Prevention and Combating of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing.

Meanwhile, the detained GH. brothers are accused of laundering money through the transfer, concealment, and disguising of assets and their origins while using professional channels within an organized criminal framework. They also face charges of influence peddling through promises, offers, or the granting of undue advantages, as well as concealing proceeds obtained from corruption-related offenses.

The case originated from an investigation launched by the Third Chamber of the Economic and Financial Criminal Court into alleged money laundering operations and concealment of illicit proceeds. Investigators subsequently identified four private investors suspected of involvement in the alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to Mohieddine Tahkout and his family.

According to the investigation, the first defendant, N.S., owner of a consulting and studies office, allegedly transferred funds entrusted to him by Mohieddine Tahkout for the preparation of a feasibility study linked to a major project, in exchange for a total amount estimated at DZD 3.5 billion.

However, the project was halted and ultimately frozen following Tahkout’s arrest, imprisonment, and subsequent prosecution. Investigators said that despite the cancellation of the project, N.S. did not return the funds to the authorities. Instead, he appropriated the money and transferred it to a Swiss bank account before moving it again to an account in Spain, where the funds were laundered through the purchase of four luxury apartments and the opening of an additional bank account for the remaining balance.

Investigations further revealed, based on a complaint filed with judicial authorities by Ibrahim Tahkout, that he had been defrauded by two investors—the G. brothers—who reportedly offered to intervene with the judiciary to secure his acquittal and release from prison in exchange for DZD 1.5 billion. Authorities also said that the two brothers concealed vehicles belonging to Tahkout.