Offshore Leaks Record

Czech Republic · Pandora Papers

Andrej Babiš: offshore leaks and what happened next

Investigated, no charges As of May 2026, French prosecutors were reviewing the investigation file on the chateau purchase and said a decision on whether to prosecute would come before the end of 2026. No charge had been reported, and Babiš denies wrongdoing.4,6

Being named in a leak is not evidence of wrongdoing, and owning an offshore company can be legal. Each record sets out what was reported, the person's response, and what official action, if any, followed.

What was reported

ICIJ reported that Babiš put 22 million dollars into a chain of shell companies in 2009 to buy a large estate known as Chateau Bigaud in Mougins, near Cannes, France, and did not list the companies or the chateau in the asset declarations he must file as a public official.1

Response

ICIJ reported that Babiš did not respond to requests for comment. After publication he said the leak was meant to harm him before the election and that the money used for the purchase was properly taxed in the Czech Republic, bne IntelliNews reported.1,2

What happened afterwards

  1. Investigation opened, Czech police (National Centre against Organised Crime, NCOZ)A police spokesperson said the organised crime unit would look into Pandora Papers information linked to Babiš and other Czechs, bne IntelliNews reported.2
  2. Investigation opened, French Central Office Against Corruption, Financial and Fiscal Offences (OCLCIFF)French police investigators began a probe into whether the 2009 property purchase involved laundering the proceeds of tax fraud, ICIJ reported citing Le Monde. CNN Prima News, also citing Le Monde, reported that the investigation began in February 2022. Babiš has said the transaction was legal.3,5
  3. Investigation ongoing, French National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF)A PNF deputy prosecutor told Seznam Zprávy that prosecutors were waiting for the investigation file to be returned to them so they could analyse the evidence and decide. Seznam Zprávy reported, citing experts, that Babiš gained immunity from prosecution in France while serving as prime minister. In December 2025 a PNF spokeswoman had told CNN Prima News that his appointment would not in theory be an obstacle to the investigation. He maintains the purchases were lawful.4,5
  4. Investigation ongoing, French National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF)ČTK reported that investigators passed their file to prosecutors in early May 2026 after a four year investigation into suspected money laundering and tax evasion, and that a PNF spokeswoman said a decision on whether to drop the case or prosecute would come before the end of the year. Experts cited by ČTK said he would be protected by international immunity while prime minister.6

Sources

  1. ICIJ, Offshore havens and hidden riches of world leaders and billionaires exposed in unprecedented leak (3 October 2021)
  2. bne IntelliNews, Czech police to investigate allegations in Pandora Papers against Prime Minister Andrej Babis (4 October 2021)
  3. ICIJ, Former Czech PM Babis is under investigation for alleged money laundering over deal exposed by the Pandora Papers (12 August 2022)
  4. Seznam Zprávy, Verdikt v kauze Babišova panství se odkládá, případ ještě posoudí žalobce (9 January 2026)
  5. CNN Prima News, Babiš vyšetřování neunikne ani jako premiér. Funkce podle prokuratury ve Francii není překážkou (1 December 2025)
  6. Seznam Zprávy (ČTK), Francouzská prokuratura očekává rozhodnutí ohledně stíhání Babiše do konce roku (ČTK) (21 May 2026)