Pakistani-French Fashion Designer Mehmood Bhatti Convicted in France for Tax Fraud

Renowned Pakistani-French fashion designer Mehmood Bhatti has been convicted in a French court on charges of tax fraud and aggravated money laundering.

In a hearing at the Paris Court of Appeals, Bhatti pleaded guilty to tax fraud committed between 2009 and 2012 and aggravated money laundering from 2009 to 2014. The court sentenced him to a two-year suspended prison term, a €150,000 fine, a 10-year ban on managing any company, and ordered the confiscation of three luxury watches and three Jaguar vehicles.

The case involved allegations that Bhatti used a system of loans routed through a company in the United Arab Emirates to fund his lifestyle while evading French taxes. He had been convicted earlier in November 2024 but appealed the verdict, resulting in the current plea agreement that reduced his sentence.

Bhatti, born in Lahore, Pakistan, in 1958, moved to France in the 1970s and built a successful international fashion brand. He has been a prominent figure in both countries and was awarded Pakistan’s Sitara-e-Imtiaz. His conviction marks a notable fall from grace for the designer known for his high-profile life and celebrity connections.