After 48 hours in police custody, the Congolese-born French singer-songwriter Gims has been placed under formal investigation on charges of "aggravated money laundering" and "money laundering as part of an organised gang."

Gandhi Djuna, better known by his stage name Gims, was arrested on Wednesday on arrival at a Paris airport by the anti-fraud unit, before being released under judicial supervision after posting bail.

A superstar in France – where he was the country’s biggest-selling recording artist in 2025 – Gims has been living in Morocco for the past decade.

According to Le Monde, Gims' arrest, and that of two of his associates, is connected to an investigation into an international money-laundering scheme that French prosecutors have been pursuing since 2023.

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"As part of the investigations conducted by the ONAF [National Anti-Fraud Office]", potential links have been identified "between this international network and several suspects, including Gandhi Djuna (alias Gims)", the National Prosecutor’s Office for Organised Crime (Pnaco) said in a statement. These links relate in particular to "suspicions of the use of funds of illicit origin" for property investments abroad and to laundering operations intended to conceal where the money came from.

These property investments, now in the investigators’ sights, are understood to be a luxury development promoted by Gims south of Marrakech. According to Pnaco, the company behind the project is also being probed by customs investigators.

Launched in 2025 in the presence of the singer, Sunset Village Private Residences plans 117 high-end villas clustered around a 3,000 m² lagoon. Gims has also appeared in several promotional videos showcasing the residences, sports facilities, spa, sauna and hammam at the complex.

The network, described as "typical" in money-laundering terms, stands out above all for its scale: more than 2,000 companies registered in France are thought to be involved.