France's National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) announced on Friday, September 4, 2026, that it has seized 65 million euros in assets as part of an investigation into McKinsey & Company for aggravated money laundering linked to tax fraud. The seizure was carried out jointly with the King's Prosecutor of Brussels.
In a joint statement, the PNF and the Brussels prosecutor's office said the seized sum represents 96% of the tax damage estimated so far under the French prosecutors' assessment of the case. The operation comes as the investigation continues.
McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm that has advised the French government on a range of public policy matters in recent years. The PNF is the French prosecutorial body responsible for investigating serious and complex financial crimes, including tax fraud, corruption and money laundering.
How the investigation began
The probe was opened in March 2022, growing out of an earlier French Senate inquiry into the influence of private consulting firms on public policy since Emmanuel Macron took office as president in 2017. That Senate work first drew attention to the scale of government contracts awarded to firms such as McKinsey.
Witnesses and suspects were questioned in 2025 and 2026, according to the PNF, which said the case remains open and that investigators are continuing their work.
Raids and political fallout
The affair has already led to raids at McKinsey's offices and at the headquarters of Renaissance, the political party founded by Macron.
Olivier Véran, a former government spokesperson, has denied any overreach or abuse in the government's use of consulting firms, a position at odds with comments made by Bruno Le Maire, France's former finance minister.
Le Maire has since acknowledged that the government went too far, pointing to favoritism and overreach in how some contracts were handled.
Macron has said it is normal for the justice system to carry out its work.
Questions over Macron's ties to McKinsey
The case has also fueled scrutiny of Macron's own relationship with the consulting firm, a subject that has drawn heavy coverage in the French press.
Eric Coquerel, a member of the French National Assembly, has called for a new parliamentary information mission on the matter, even though the Senate has already produced its own report.
What happens next
The PNF said the case is ongoing and that further details are expected as the investigation progresses.
