French Film Star, Fake Aristocrat, & Missing €7m
Analysis of the Dany Boon Scam Case
This analysis details the alleged fraud perpetrated against French actor Dany Boon by Thierry Fialek-Birles, posing as Terry Birles, an Irish aristocrat and maritime lawyer.
Key Individuals:
Dany Boon: French actor and director, victim of the alleged fraud.
Thierry Fialek-Birles (alias Terry Birles): The alleged conman accused of defrauding Boon.
Prince Albert of Monaco: Referenced through the alleged girlfriend of Fialek-Birles.
Summary of Events:
Fialek-Birles allegedly defrauded Dany Boon of approximately €7 million through a series of elaborate schemes involving yacht renovations, investment opportunities, and a Dublin-registered company. The scam involved false pretenses of wealth, lineage, and professional qualifications.
Detailed breakdown of the Alleged Scam:
- Initial Contact & Yacht Renovation (2022): Fialek-Birles met Boon in Monaco and offered to renovate Boon’s yacht, Umaren (estimated value €3.5m).
- Investment in South Seas Merchants Mariners Ltd Partnership (SSMM): Boon transferred over €2.2 million to SSMM,a Dublin-registered company Fialek-Birles claimed was founded by his family. This was ostensibly for the yacht’s maintenance, management, and insurance.
- Investment in a Scheme with the irish Central Bank: Fialek-Birles allegedly convinced Boon to invest an additional €4.5 million through SSMM in a scheme promising 3.25% annual interest, tax-free, with the Irish Central Bank.
- Disappearance & Refusal to Repay: When Boon requested a refund, Fialek-Birles allegedly claimed SSMM had been sold to an italian family and advised Boon to pursue legal action against them.
Financial Summary:
| Transaction Type | Amount (EUR) | Purpose |
|—|—|—|
| Yacht Renovation/Maintenance (via SSMM) | >2.2 million | Maintenance, management, and insurance of Umaren |
| Investment Scheme (via SSMM) | 4.5 million | Alleged investment with the Irish Central Bank |
| Total Alleged Fraud | >6.7 million | |
Fialek-Birles’s Fabricated Persona:
Identity: Claimed to be Terry Birles, a member of an “ancient” Irish family.
Education: Alleged to have been educated in Britain and Italy, with a master’s degree from Oxford University.
Background: fabricated a story about his parents dying in a helicopter crash in Connemara when he was nine.
Lifestyle: Presented himself as wealthy, owning two classic racing yachts and a 17-bedroom property in Youghal, County Cork.
Connections: Alleged his girlfriend was an advisor to the Prince Albert of Monaco Foundation.
legal Proceedings:
The case is scheduled to be heard in the court in Nice,France,next month.
Hearings were previously held in Irish courts in 2022 and 2023.
Locations of Significance:
Monaco: Where Boon and Fialek-Birles initially met.
County Cork, Ireland: Location of Fialek-Birles’s alleged property and involvement with SSMM.
Nice, France: Where the current trial will take place.
Dublin, Ireland: Registration location of SSMM.- marcusrodriguez