Louvre Ticket Fraud Ring Busted, 9 Arrested, Loss €10M

Paris authorities have arrested nine people in a major ticket fraud case at the Louvre Museum, which may have cost the world’s most visited museum around 10 million euros ($11.86 million) in revenue.

Those arrested include two Louvre officials, several guides, and the alleged organiser of the scheme. Police also seized nearly one million euros in cash and almost 500,000 euros in bank accounts.

The investigation began in December 2024 after the Louvre noticed two Chinese guides were reusing tickets to let multiple tourist groups into the museum. After over a year of checks, authorities uncovered a full network that may have fraudulently admitted up to 20 tourist groups per day over the last decade, with some Louvre officials allegedly bribed to ignore the activity.

Authorities say the ring invested its proceeds in real estate in France and Dubai. The same type of fraud may have also occurred at the Palace of Versailles, though details remain limited.

A Louvre spokesperson said, “The museum is facing a rise and diversification of ticket fraud.” The museum has introduced a plan to prevent cheating and punish offenders.

Last month, the Louvre raised ticket prices by 45% for most non-EU visitors to help fund renovations.