Man sent to prison over Linky fraud, a first in France

A court in north-east France has handed down the country’s first ever jail term for fraud involving electricity consumption. 

At the end of March, the judicial court in Nancy sentenced a man to nine months in prison for complicity in electricity fraud. 

Unlike previous cases, which resulted in suspended sentences or fines, this ruling requires the sentence to be served. 

The severity of the sentence reflected the fact that the man had not only been tampering with his Linky smart meter, but had also that he had been found to have been offering illegal modification services to electricity meters via social media and training others to carry out similar practices. 

The case forms part of a wider national crackdown launched in 2024 by Enedis to tackle electricity fraud. The company, which acted as a civil party in the case, said the decision sends a strong message. 

“This is not the first person doing this, and it is something we monitor closely, particularly on social media,” said Hervé Luthringer, Enedis' Grand Est and Lorraine Regional Director to The Connexion. “We are able to detect individuals offering these services and work with law enforcement to stop them.”

The investigation was carried out in cooperation with the Gendarmerie, leading to the suspect being brought before the courts. 

A spokesperson from the company’s press office said: “Our objective is to show that illegal actions are detected and can lead to serious consequences, including prison sentences. But we also want to raise awareness, because these manipulations are extremely dangerous.”

Tampering with electrical installations can pose serious risks, including electrocution and fire. “When people interfere with electrical systems, they put themselves and others in danger,” Mr Luthringer added. “These installations are not designed to be altered.”

However, the scale of the issue seems to be increasing and for that reason Enedis has been stepping up inspections. They went from 12,000 checks in 2024 to 40,000 in 2025, with a target of 60,000 in 2026. 

Additionally, Mr Luthringer highlighted that the ruling could influence future cases as well. Under the French legal principle of jurisprudence constante, courts often take previous decisions into account. “This first firm prison sentence creates a reference point,” he said. “Future judges are likely to apply at least the same level of sanction. It also has a deterrent effect.”

Mr Luthringer also explained that beyond legality and safety, there is also the issue of fairness. Electricity fraud ultimately affects other customers. “Those who do not pay for their electricity shift the cost onto someone else,” he explained. “There is a clear sense of injustice.”