A major controversy is unfolding in Monaco after explosive allegations surfaced against Captain Mylène Gambarini, also known as Mylène Dargent, a senior officer within Monaco’s National Police Department (Direction de la Sûreté Publique). 

The accusations, which involve claims of corruption, abuse of authority, obstruction of justice, and attempted extortion, have triggered growing scrutiny over the conduct of law enforcement officials in the principality.

At the center of the allegations is a Canadian businessman who claims he became the target of a politically connected campaign involving fabricated financial suspicions, coordinated asset seizures, and pressure tactics allegedly designed to force him into surrendering millions in cryptocurrency.

Allegations of a €1 Million Crypto Extortion Plot

According to the businessman, Captain Mylene Gambarini supervised an investigation that ultimately froze nearly $100 million in bank accounts and assets. He alleges the investigation itself was weaponized as leverage to extract €1 million in cryptocurrency.

The businessman further claims that the police captain worked closely with Nathalie Hachem, allegedly acting in support of  Pamela Hachem, a Monaco-Dubai socialite he divorced nearly eight years ago.

Among the most serious allegations are claims that Captain Gambarini personally instructed him to transfer ownership of several luxury vehicles into the name of a Monaco-based dealership in order to avoid court-authorized seizures in 2023. 

According to the accuser, registration records and judicial timelines could easily confirm that at least three high-value vehicles changed ownership immediately after a confidential Monaco judge’s seizure order was issued.

He also alleges that in 2025 the senior Monaco police officer warned him about upcoming law enforcement operations involving his UK properties and advised him to relocate assets before authorities could act.

Secret Recordings Allegedly Capture Police Warnings

Several audio recordings reportedly created by the sister of the businessman’s ex-wife are said to contain conversations in which Captain Gambarini allegedly warned him about future police activity and suggested ways to shield assets from seizure.

In one recording, Nathalie Hachem (the sister of James’ ex-wife Pamela) is allegedly heard assisting the police captain in discussions related to concealing property and avoiding enforcement actions. 

Another call reportedly includes the senior police officer informing James that investigators have received a judicial order to seize his property and advising him to rent UK property under an alternate identity while moving assets beyond the reach of investigators.

The businessman maintains that the money laundering case against him was artificially constructed using political influence and senior police connections inside Monaco. He claims Captain Gambarini directly oversaw investigators involved in the file while simultaneously providing him with guidance on how to evade seizures.

Terror Financing Investigation Linked to Pamela Hachem

Separate official records from Lebanon reportedly show that Pamela Hachem became the subject of a counterterrorism financing investigation in August 2025 over alleged links to Iranian IRGC and Hezbollah financial activity. 

The investigation escalated publicly in October 2025 when Lebanon’s Central Bank ordered the freezing of her bank accounts and the seizure of multiple safety deposit boxes.

Just months later, in January 2026, Pamela Hachem was convicted in Dubai in a theft-related criminal case. A three-judge panel sentenced her to one month in prison and imposed a financial penalty of approximately €135,000, equivalent to 565,000 UAE dirhams.

Claims of Media Manipulation and International Pressure

The Canadian businessman also alleges that Captain Gambarini displayed confidential police terminal information during private meetings, including investigative files carrying his name. One image allegedly shown to him reportedly contained what appeared to be a Wikipedia page embedded within the case materials, raising additional concerns regarding the sourcing and reliability of intelligence used in the investigation.

According to his account, the police captain further described an alleged strategy involving cooperation between law enforcement officials and journalists to circulate damaging media stories capable of justifying prolonged investigations and ongoing asset freezes.

James claims she warned him that if he continued challenging the proceedings, authorities could trigger additional international enforcement measures through Interpol requests, potentially extending the seizure of his assets indefinitely.

Disputed Asset Seizures and Luxury Property Transfers

After refusing the alleged demands, the businessman claims authorities intensified enforcement actions while simultaneously distributing inaccurate information to international agencies, including accusations of criminal conduct that he firmly denies.

Among the disputed assets is a Rolls-Royce Ghost registered in Monaco, which he alleges was transferred to Nathalie Hachem without his authorization.

Prince Albert Mentioned in Unverified Personal Claims

Documents reviewed by journalists reportedly include allegations that Captain Gambarini claimed to have a personal relationship with Prince Albert II of Monaco and allegedly displayed private communications as evidence. These assertions remain entirely unverified and have not been independently confirmed.

Judicial Turnover Raises Questions Inside Monaco

The case against James, originally launched in 2021, has reportedly passed through the hands of four separate investigative judges over a five-year period. According to sources familiar with the matter, each judge was replaced before reaching the conclusion of the proceedings, raising concerns regarding judicial consistency and oversight.

Former Monaco judicial official Sylvie Petit-Leclair is also said to have raised internal objections regarding the handling of the investigation before eventually leaving her position. She later spoke publicly about what she described as broader structural problems within Monaco’s judicial and governmental systems.

Blockchain Review Reportedly Found No Criminal Evidence

A central component of the financial investigation focused on cryptocurrency holdings allegedly connected to the businessman. Authorities reportedly worked alongside blockchain intelligence company Chainalysis as well as major crypto exchanges including Kraken and Binance.

However, according to an internal police memorandum attributed to Monaco investigator Pierre-Grégoire Cuif, analysts reportedly found no evidence linking the bitcoin transactions under review to laundering activity, suspicious origin patterns, or mixing services commonly associated with illicit finance.Despite those findings, the five-year investigation and James’ related asset freezes reportedly remain active by Monaco Judge Brice Hansemann.  The recordings of the senior police captain obstructing justice casts serious doubts on the integrity of the Monaco National Police Force and the Municipalities judicial authority.