The short version
- Roberto Hamidovic was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined €500,000 for leading a network that trafficked children to commit thefts in Paris.
- The court found that the clan exploited minors as young as ten, subjecting them to abuse if they failed to meet daily financial targets set by adult leaders.
- Prosecutors described the operation as part of an intergenerational cycle where former child victims became perpetrators, complicating efforts to dismantle the network.
A Paris court has delivered a significant verdict in a long-running investigation into organized crime involving the exploitation of minors. Roberto Hamidovic, a 48-year-old man identified as the leader of a Roma clan with Bosnian origins, was sentenced to eight years in prison, the maximum term allowed for the charges. He also faces a fine of €500,000. The ruling marks the culmination of a trial that examined how his family network systematically used children to steal from tourists at high-traffic locations across France.
The prosecution presented evidence that Hamidovic directed gangs of young thieves, predominantly girls some as young as ten years old, to target visitors in the Paris Métro system and at major attractions such as Disneyland Paris. According to police estimates cited during the proceedings, these operations generated an average of €25,000 per day. The children were instructed to approach foreign tourists, often blending into crowds during evening parades or waiting near bank cash machines to intercept customers withdrawing funds.
The conditions under which these minors operated were described by the court as severe and abusive. Testimony revealed that if the youngsters failed to produce sufficient stolen goods, they faced physical violence, including beatings and burns, as well as sexual abuse. While adult members of the clan enjoyed a lifestyle characterized by luxury hotels, designer clothing, and expensive vehicles, the children were housed in dilapidated squats or budget accommodations. This stark contrast underscored the exploitative nature of the enterprise.
Seven individuals from the Hamidovic family stood trial, including Roberto’s wife, Lejla, two sons, a nephew, and two female relatives. All defendants denied the charges, which included human trafficking, organized theft, corruption of minors, money laundering, and criminal association. The court sentenced Lejla Hamidovic to six years in prison with a €300,000 fine. The other five defendants received sentences ranging from five to seven years, accompanied by substantial fines. All convicted individuals were ordered to be extradited and banned from entering France upon their release.
Public prosecutor Alice Guillet characterized the network as a mechanism designed to evade legal accountability. She explained that the children were instructed to claim they were twelve years old if confronted by police, a tactic intended to exploit the age of criminal responsibility in France. By asserting they were below this threshold, the minors could be released quickly, allowing the operation to continue with minimal interruption. Guillet described the daily existence of these exploited youths as particularly painful and devoid of future prospects.
The case highlights a troubling pattern of intergenerational crime within the clan. Investigators noted that many of the adult defendants had themselves been forced to steal as children under the direction of their own parents. Guillet pointed out this cycle of victimization turning into perpetration, suggesting that without intervention, former victims were likely to exploit younger children once they reached adulthood. She argued that the determinism observed in the case file made it nearly inevitable for these individuals to continue the criminal behavior.
This conviction follows a similar legal outcome involving Roberto Hamidovic’s uncle, Fehmi Hamidovic, who was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2013 for people trafficking. French police had previously described the clan’s structure as medieval, noting its persistence despite earlier arrests. After Fehmi’s conviction, Roberto assumed control of the network, which authorities believe was responsible for a significant portion of thefts in the Paris Métro. The current verdict aims to disrupt this continuity and address the systemic abuse embedded within the organization.
Financial investigations revealed that Hamidovic and his wife had amassed an estimated €2 million, much of which is reportedly hidden abroad. The couple spent time in Pula, Croatia, and engaged in high-spending activities such as gambling at casinos. Despite claims by Roberto Hamidovic that he worked as a secondhand car dealer with modest earnings, evidence showed significant expenditures on luxury items and celebrations for family members released from prison. The court’s decision includes measures to prevent the defendants from returning to France, aiming to curb their ability to reorganize criminal activities within the country.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian World↗Clan leader in Paris sentenced to eight years over child pickpocketing gangs
