French police have arrested a 40-year-old Russian chef on suspicion of preparing “large-scale” destabilising acts during the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
During a raid at his apartment on the right bank of the Seine on Sunday, officers found documents believed to be linked with Russia's special forces, which are a part of the security agency FSB.
The man is now being investigated over sharing intelligence with a foreign power in an attempt to “provoke hostilities in France” and has been placed in pre-trial detention.
The crime is punishable with up to 30 years in prison. Prosecutors ruled out the alleged was terror-related, but no additional details are known about the alleged plan.
The man has not been named. However, he has been living in France since 2010 and was tracked over the past few months by French authorities, according to domestic press.
He had been trained as a chef in Paris after participating in Russian reality shows, Le Monde reported.
Last month, Microsoft's Threat Analysis Centre said Russia might be preparing “malign disinformation campaigns” during Paris 2024 with the use of AI in an attempt to create false threats of violence at the event.
