By
AFP
Published
Sep 26, 2007
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French cosmetics boss fined for peddling perfume samples

By
AFP
Published
Sep 26, 2007


Marcel Frydman
ex-PDG of Marionnaud
PARIS, Sept 26, 2007 (AFP) - The French founder and former boss of the cosmetics chain Marionnaud was fined Wednesday, september 6th for illegally peddling thousands of free samples of luxury perfume by Kenzo, Dior and Yves-Saint Laurent.

Marcel Frydman was found guilty of breach of trust and ordered to pay a fine of 15,000 euros (22,000 dollars) as well as 10,000 euros in damages to each of the three perfumers. Two co-defendants were each fined 5,000 euros.

In July 2004, the former Marionnaud chief executive sold at least 3,560 free tester bottles of top perfumes, worth an estimated 6,000 euros. The samples are not designed for sale and remain the property of the manufacturers.

Described by prosecutors as "a leading professional from the world of trade and perfume", Frydman denied the charge of supplying the black market, claiming he sold the samples off to try to expose a smuggling network.

The Marionnaud retail franchise counts more than 1,200 cosmetics stores including 566 in France. The chain was bought in February 2005 by AS Watson, a subsidiary of the Chinese group Hutchison Whampoa.

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