Blackmail case involving King Mohammed VI reaches end

French journalists Catherine Grasset and Eric Laurent, accused of blackmailing King Mohammed VI are expected to receive their verdict tomorrow.

The two defendants face a prison sentence of five years and a fine of 75,000 euros.

Eric Laurent, former correspondent for “Radio France” and “Le Figaro” magazine and author of several books, defended his accusation of demanding two million euros to refuse to publish “embarrassing information” about King Mohammed VI.

The former journalist, who is currently 75 years old, admitted, before the Paris Criminal Court on Monday, to a “moral error”; Because he “agreed to be involved in this case,” but refuted “any criminal offense.”

Catherine Crassie said she realized “the envoy of the Moroccan state seduced her with his financial offer.”

Éric Laurent and Catherine Graciet who published “the Predator King,” which Morocco banned in 2012, had contact the King ‘s private secretariat in 2015 in an effort to set up a meeting with a representative of the monarchy, attorney Hicham Naciri.

The meeting was scheduled on August 11, when Laurent told  Naciri that a detrimental book against King Mohammed VI was in the coming.

The journalist claims that he was given a financial incentive not to publish the book by Naciri.

Contrarily, the kingdom asserts that the journalist requested three million euros so that he does not publish the book.