French businessman Anass Derraz accused of taking bribes: I received $200,000 advance from Farhad Ahmadov

Another court hearing was held in the completed criminal case by the State Security Service (SSS) of Azerbaijan against Anass Derraz, vice president of France's SAUR company with billions of dollars in turnover.

According to Report, Anass Derraz gave his free testimony during the process held at the Baku Court on Grave Crimes, presided over by Judge Farid Namazov.

He noted that he came to Azerbaijan for business purposes:

"I have known Farhad Ahmadov since 2018. In November of that year, they contacted me from Farhad Ahmadov's office. He had a divorce issue. Before contacting me, the London court had decided to freeze all of Farhad Ahmadov's assets. He contacted me about a property, specifically about his yacht in Dubai. That property was valued at $500 million. Everyone knew me for my connections in Dubai, for easily resolving such matters, for my 'special ability'."

Despite not being a lawyer or having a legal firm, Derraz signed a legal agreement with Farhad Ahmadov to release the ship from arrest:

"We signed the contract so that the services I provided would appear legal and legitimate. The contract stated that regardless of the outcome, the amount given as an advance for this service would not be refunded. Because we had spent time on this work. To receive the full payment, we guaranteed that the matter would be successfully resolved. Money was transferred to my account as an advance, but the main amount was not transferred."

The accused person said that the amount of the advance he received from Farhad Ahmadov was $200,000: "That amount was paid to me. If the arrest on the yacht had been lifted, he would have had to pay $2 million. As for the other participant, Benalla, after he left Macron's administration, an investigation was conducted by the French prosecutor's office regarding him."

The next court session will continue on September 11.

According to the accusation, Alexandre Benalla, former head of the French President's Security Service, and Anass Derraz, vice president of France's SAUR company with billions in turnover, are accused of receiving large bribes and other criminal acts in exchange for lifting international sanctions against the assets of Russian billionaire of Azerbaijani origin, Farhad Ahmadov.

The mentioned individuals demanded a bribe from Farhad Ahmadov and in return promised that his luxurious Luna yacht would be released from arrest and allowed to sail in international waters. Additionally, the parties promised that Farhad Ahmadov himself would be protected from sanctions.

In total, an agreement was reached regarding the payment of $6.140 million in bribes.

Specifically, they agreed that Farhad Ahmadov would pay $600,000 on November 15, 2018, and $5.540 million within 15 days after the arrest on the ship was lifted. A consulting agreement was signed between both parties.

Ahmadov transferred $200,000 to Anass Derraz's account at "AL HILAL BANK" and $400,000 dollars to Alexandre Benalla's account at "BANK OF AFRICA UNITED KINGDOM PLC SC PAR".

Anass Derraz is accused of assisting Benalla in receiving bribes from Farhad Ahmadov.

Derraz was born in Morocco in 1984 and is a citizen of the French Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco. He is the vice president of SAUR company. The company is registered in Dubai.

the State Security Service of Azerbaijan has charged Anass Derraz under Articles 193-1.3.2 (legalization of property obtained through criminal means - when committed in a large amount) and 32.5, 311.3.3 (taking bribes (passive bribery) - when committed in a large amount) of the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan.

The investigation has applied to Interpol for the international search of Alexandre Benalla, the former head of the French president's security service.

After a lengthy procedure, the Interpol General Secretariat, with a general decision, deemed the search for French citizen Alexandre Benalla justified and included him in the international search with a "Red Notice" in April 2025, sending notifications to all member states.

Interpol's issuance of a "Red Notice" international search for the former head of the French President's Security Service indicates the existence of irrefutable and reliable evidence in the possession of the State Security Service of Azerbaijan. A "Red Notice" provides for the detention of the person in the country where they are located and their extradition to the country that issued the search. It is known that Benalla is currently involved in extradition processes in a third country.