The head of the Hellfest festival, Ben Barbaud, was recently given an eight-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 20,000 euros for “breach of trust”, AFP learned on Friday June 23 from the La Roche-sur-La Roche prosecutor’s office. Yon, confirming information from Ouest France. According to our colleagues, Ben Barbaud confused the fund of the association Hellfest Productions with his personal accounts, to buy works of art and wine.
“Mr. Barbaud acknowledged the facts and undertook to reimburse the sums, the victims having to be reimbursed on the sale price of a property which had been seized”, specified to AFP the public prosecutor of La Roche. -sur-Yon, Emmanuelle Lepissier. According to Ouest France, Ben Barbaud was convicted during an appearance procedure on prior recognition of guilt (CRPC), held behind closed doors on April 19 before the Vendée court.
Asked by AFP, Ben Barbaud and his lawyer did not react early Friday evening. “The cash advances subject of the procedure have been reimbursed in full. The case is now closed”, assures in a press release addressed to AFP the organizing association of Hellfest, one of the largest festivals in Europe to be dedicated to metal and its currents. The 2023 edition, which just ended last weekend in Clisson (Loire-Atlantique), attracted 240,000 spectators.
A source within the festival told AFP that these were “advances” which were made irregularly from an accounting point of view but “without any intention of embezzlement”. Ben Barbaud “has absolutely not denied the facts”, added this source, according to which the sums in question are around 300,000 euros in total. According to Ouest France, Ben Barbaud “would have bought wine (…) but also works of art” thanks to these sums.
Creator of Hellfest, Ben Barbaud was also its president, but his conviction for breach of trust was accompanied by a “prohibition from chairing an association for five years”, according to Emmanuelle Lepissier. Ben Barbaud left this function of president and now assumes the function of director of Hellfest. According to the festival’s press release, this “internal administrative restructuring took place several months ago now” and “has enabled Hellfest to maintain its level of organizational excellence, as evidenced by the success of the 2023 edition”. Justice “made such a decision to maintain the sustainability of the festival, by choosing an appropriate procedure guaranteeing justice and discretion for the parties”, concludes the association.
