Implicated in the Hermès affair, the Swiss businessman Éric Freymond committed suicide on 23 July at the age of 67. © Studio Pachamama

In Focus | France, Switzerland
The last confession of Eric Freymond, the shadow financier in the missing Hermès shares scandal

Subscribers only By Philippe Vasset

Published on 31.07.2025 at 05:00 GMT 18 min read Lire en français

A few weeks before throwing himself onto the railway tracks near his chalet in Gstaad on the morning of 23 July, the Swiss asset manager Freymond agreed to meet with journalist Philippe Vasset, editor-in-chief of Glitz, for Revue XXI magazine. Freymond, a confidant of Geneva's and France's wealthiest families, was accused by Nicolas Puech, one of the wealthy Hermès heirs, of embezzling more than €10bn in shares from the luxury group. He took some of his secrets with him to the grave.

(This article was written for Revue XXI, which is owned by the same publisher that owns Glitz. It is being made available to readers of Glitz, who have had exclusive access to this saga for several months.)

"You have done me a great wrong." When Eric Freymond uttered these words as he welcomed me a few weeks ago in Geneva, I simply did not believe him. As devious as he was inscrutable, the Swiss financier had taken on Europe's richest

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This article is part of this Running Story

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In Focus | France, Switzerland
The last confession of Eric Freymond, the shadow financier in the missing Hermès shares scandal

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This article is part of this Running Story

Related topics to this article

Read also

Spotlight
High-society swindler Éric Freymond's self-serving philanthropy

Spotlight | Hermès family
French magistrates investigating Éric Freymond home in on his close associates

Inside the private investment portfolios of the Hermès family

Eric Freymond's heirs reject poisoned chalice of their inheritance

How Éric Freymond attempted to sell Hermès shares to Qatar in his final roll of the dice

Late Swiss asset manager Freymond switched residency to Italy, complicating assets recovery

Spotlight
Probe into Nicolas Puech's missing Hermès shares continues despite main suspect's death

Puiforcat decline undermines Hermès growth

Family of Hermès heir's late wealth manager Éric Freymond close down store and gallery amid seizure threats

Spotlight
The key hearing that was awaiting the asset manager in the missing Hermès shares scandal

Legal stunt aimed at Hermès heir Nicolas Puech backfires

Spotlight
War over six million missing Hermès shares goes nuclear

Former Hermès wealth manager Freymond and French ex-PM Villepin boost art market ties

Spotlight
The secret story of the 6 million Hermès shares that vanished into thin air, part 2

Spotlight
The secret story of the 6 million Hermès shares that vanished into thin air

Hermès heir's ex-wealth manager can't kick Panama habit

About Glitz

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Indigo Publications' websites

About Glitz

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Indigo Publications' websites

In Focus | France, Switzerland The last confession of Eric Freymond, the shadow financier in the missing Hermès shares scandal

This article may be accessed by subscribers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

create a free account

This article is part of this Running Story

Related topics to this article

Read also

Spotlight High-society swindler Éric Freymond's self-serving philanthropy

Spotlight | Hermès family French magistrates investigating Éric Freymond home in on his close associates

Inside the private investment portfolios of the Hermès family

Eric Freymond's heirs reject poisoned chalice of their inheritance

How Éric Freymond attempted to sell Hermès shares to Qatar in his final roll of the dice

Late Swiss asset manager Freymond switched residency to Italy, complicating assets recovery

Spotlight Probe into Nicolas Puech's missing Hermès shares continues despite main suspect's death

Puiforcat decline undermines Hermès growth

Family of Hermès heir's late wealth manager Éric Freymond close down store and gallery amid seizure threats

Spotlight The key hearing that was awaiting the asset manager in the missing Hermès shares scandal

Legal stunt aimed at Hermès heir Nicolas Puech backfires

Spotlight War over six million missing Hermès shares goes nuclear

Former Hermès wealth manager Freymond and French ex-PM Villepin boost art market ties

Spotlight The secret story of the 6 million Hermès shares that vanished into thin air, part 2

Spotlight The secret story of the 6 million Hermès shares that vanished into thin air

Hermès heir's ex-wealth manager can't kick Panama habit

About Glitz

Subscription

Glitz on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

In Focus | France, Switzerland
The last confession of Eric Freymond, the shadow financier in the missing Hermès shares scandal

Spotlight
High-society swindler Éric Freymond's self-serving philanthropy

Spotlight | Hermès family
French magistrates investigating Éric Freymond home in on his close associates

Spotlight
Probe into Nicolas Puech's missing Hermès shares continues despite main suspect's death

Spotlight
The key hearing that was awaiting the asset manager in the missing Hermès shares scandal

Spotlight
War over six million missing Hermès shares goes nuclear

Spotlight
The secret story of the 6 million Hermès shares that vanished into thin air, part 2

Spotlight
The secret story of the 6 million Hermès shares that vanished into thin air