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Chapter II: Offences concerning public limited companies

Article L242-1 of the French Commercial code

A fine of €150,000 shall be imposed on the founders, chairman, directors or managing directors of a public limited company for issuing or trading in shares or share fractions without at least half of the cash shares having been paid up on subscription or without the contributed shares having been paid up in full before the company is registered in the Trade and Companies Register. The penalty provided for in…

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Article L242-6 of the French Commercial code

It shall be punishable by five years’ imprisonment and a fine of 375,000 euros for: 1° The chairman, directors or managing directors of a société anonyme to distribute fictitious dividends among the shareholders, in the absence of an inventory, or by means of fraudulent inventories ; 2° The chairman, directors or managing directors of a public limited company to publish or present to shareholders, even in the absence of any…

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Article L242-8 of the French Commercial code

A fine of 9,000 euros shall be imposed on the chairman, directors or managing directors of a public limited company for failing, for each financial year, to draw up an inventory and prepare annual accounts and a management report.

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Article L242-9 of the French Commercial code

The following are punishable by two years’ imprisonment and a fine of 9,000 euros: 1° Preventing a shareholder from taking part in a shareholders’ meeting; 2° Paragraph repealed. 3° Being granted, guaranteed or promised advantages for voting a certain way or for not taking part in the vote, as well as granting, guaranteeing or promising such advantages.

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Article L242-17 of the French Commercial code

The chairman, directors or managing directors of a public limited company are liable to a fine of €150,000, issue shares or share denominations without the previously subscribed capital of the company having been paid up in full or without the new contribution shares having been paid up in full before the amending entry in the Trade and Companies Register or without the new cash shares having been paid up, at…

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Article L242-20 of the French Commercial code

It is a criminal offence for the chairman, directors or statutory auditors of a société anonyme to give or confirm inaccurate information in the reports presented to the general meeting called to decide on the cancellation of shareholders’ preferential subscription rights. It is a criminal offence for the chairman, directors or statutory auditors of a société anonyme to give or confirm inaccurate information in the reports presented to the general…

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