The investigation comes after a TV report from the M6 channel that aired on Friday, showing images from hidden cameras of two luxury restaurants full of guests without a mask.
In the video, an undercover journalist enters a private restaurant with closed blinds and is greeted by a waiter in white gloves. She is asked on behalf of whom she was invited and is informed: “After you pass through the door, there will be no more Covid.”
The maitre d ‘is heard explaining that the menu starts at 160 euros (US $ 190) per person. For 490 euros ($ 580), diners can sip champagne while enjoying foie gras with truffles and crayfish in ginger sauce.
“We are investigating possible accusations of danger and undeclared work,” a spokesman for the Paris prosecutor told CNN on Monday. “We will verify that the meetings were organized in violation of health rules and determine who the potential organizers and participants were.”
A new “limited blockade” took effect last week, when President Emmanuel Macron warned that the country is at risk of “losing control” over the pandemic.
The video continues showing another dinner being held in a luxurious setting, with large tapestries and golden paintings. The guests are seen exchanging “la bise”, kissing each other face to face.
The organizer seems to say: “This week I had dinner at two or three restaurants, said clandestine restaurants, with a certain number of ministers”.
Due to its recognizable decoration, the restaurant was later identified as Palais Vivienne, owned by Pierre-Jean Chalençon.
Chalençon’s lawyer released a statement on Sunday acknowledging that the distorted voice in the video belonged to his client, but that he was joking when he said government ministers attended dinner parties.
The scandal drew the ire of many online, with the hashtag #OnVeutLesNoms (We Want The Names) popular on Twitter on Monday.
Government spokesman Gabriel Attal told the LCI news channel on Sunday that authorities have been investigating reports of illegal parties for months and that 200 suspects have been identified so far. “They will face heavy punishment,” added Attal.