Trial begins over alleged hit squad network linked to French Masonic lodge

Defendant Pierre Lebris arrives for the opening of the so-called Athanor trial, in which 22 people are facing a wide range of charges, including murder, centred on the Athanor Masonic lodge accused of running hit squads, at the Assize Court in the Tribunal Judiciaire courthouse in Paris, on 30 March 2026. AFP - THOMAS SAMSON

A complex criminal trial has opened in Paris, where 22 people are set to appear in court over allegations of murder, attempted murder and other serious offences linked to a Masonic lodge accused of operating as a covert mafia network.

Court proceedings, which got underway on Monday, are expected to run for at least three months, with seven of the defendants – including former intelligence agents, soldiers and business figures – facing the possibility of life imprisonment if convicted.