Overview
- Nicolas Puech, an heir to Hermès, is suing LVMH and Bernard Arnault for €14.3 billion over roughly six million shares he says he was dispossessed of, representing about 5.76% of the company.
- LVMH said it has never diverted Hermès shares or held any hidden stake, rejected Puech’s allegations, and cited prior setbacks for him in Swiss courts while reserving the right to pursue legal action.
- Investigating judges in Paris reportedly plan to summon Bernard Arnault to hear his account as part of the ongoing criminal instruction.
- Puech has asked the civil court to pause proceedings pending the outcome of the criminal probe, and a procedural hearing is scheduled for February 19, 2026.
- Reports say Puech’s late former wealth manager, Eric Freymond, told judges last summer that he sold 4.8 million of Puech’s shares to LVMH in 2008 before his death in July.