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Former European most-wanted fugitive Philippe Wasila started trial today.

The trial of Philippe Wasila, who was listed among Europe’s most wanted fugitives two years ago, began Tuesday afternoon at the Luxembourg City Court. Wasila, a French national born and raised in Luxembourg, is the primary suspect in a multi-million-euro fraud case. Prosecutors allege that between 2013 and 2014, Wasila posed as a successful businessman and lawyer to solicit investments. He reportedly convinced victims he managed an investment fund, promising substantial returns for a project to develop an autonomous drone. In total, he is accused of defrauding investors of €5.4 million.

Rather than funding the proposed project, investigators allege Wasila established a network of foreign shell companies to finance a lavish lifestyle. His LinkedIn profile, for instance, featured images of him in a private jet holding a glass of champagne. The profile also claimed he was employed by "Xasteria Finance SA," a name that does not appear in the Luxembourg business registry. Records indicate, however, that a similarly named entity, "Xasteria Securitization Fund," did exist, and Wasila held a stake in it. He reportedly recruited a member of the Luxembourg Central Bank’s (BCL) administrative board to serve as an administrator for the firm. This company was liquidated in 2014, just two years after its founding, coinciding with the period Wasila is accused of soliciting investors for the drone project.

Wasila was arrested in Greece in December 2024 and has consistently denied the allegations. After being added to the European most-wanted list, he submitted a right of reply to the Luxembourg press, asserting that he was not a fugitive and had missed previous appointments with the examining magistrate for medical reasons. He further contended that the plaintiffs had never actually invested funds in his project. As is standard in such proceedings, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a legally binding court verdict.

Also today

• A 20-year-old Luxembourg national was airlifted to a hospital after a serious crash at a bike park in Winterberg, Germany
• A Police officer was bitten on the leg multiple times during an altercation.
• The Wanteraktioun, Luxembourg’s annual winter shelter initiative for the homeless , will open earlier than scheduled, due to cold weather.
• David Walliams has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and abusing his fame to groom teenage girls.
• Anthropic plans to raise up to $64 billion in its upcoming initial public offering, in a listing that could value the company at up to $1.4 trillion.
• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denounced a push to impeach him as a "farce" and defended his record leading the Iran war.

On air

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Figure of the day

Seventy complaints filed over forged student grant certificates

• The Luxembourg City district court examined several cases on Monday in which children of cross-border workers submitted forged certificates as part of their applications for student grants.
• According to the representative of the public prosecutor’s office, these types of cases have been on the rise in recent years. Children of cross-border workers employed in Luxembourg may apply for grants through Cedies, but are required to submit certificates confirming whether and how much financial support they receive in their home country.

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