Roberto Hamidovic, a 48-year-old clan leader who orchestrated a sprawling criminal network of child pickpockets targeting tourists in the Paris Métro and Disneyland Paris, has been sentenced to the maximum eight years in prison by a Paris court. The trafficking ring, which generated an average of €25,000 daily, exploited minors as young as 10.
Earlier this week, the conclusion of a landmark human trafficking trial laid bare the mechanics of an international criminal enterprise spanning multiple European countries. For veteran detectives within the French judicial police, the verdict brought a stark sense of déjà vu, echoing a sprawling investigation from over a decade ago that dismantled a similar structure run by the same extended family.
A Modern Fagin and the Business of Forced Theft
Investigators likened Roberto Hamidovic to Charles Dickens’s notorious criminal boss, Fagin. Operating across high-traffic tourist hubs, the network deployed groups of six to nine youngsters—primarily girls—to scour the Paris Métro, Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Disneyland Paris for unsuspecting visitors.
Public prosecutor Alice Guillet detailed the harrowing daily reality for the children, describing them as youngsters without roots or futures whose birth dates were often unknown to their exploiters. The minors were routinely instructed to tell police they were 12 years old—sitting precisely one year below the French age of criminal responsibility—thereby forcing authorities to release them rapidly. Children who failed to bring back sufficient daily quotas faced severe physical violence, including beatings and burns.
While the young pickpockets were forced to endure squalor in budget hotels and dilapidated squats, the architects of the ring lived extravagantly. The court heard that Hamidovic, his wife Lejla, and close relatives enjoyed five-star hotels, luxury cars, designer wardrobes, high-end dining, and frequent visits to casinos. Investigators estimate that Hamidovic and his wife amassed roughly €2 million, much of which remains hidden abroad, including ties to the Adriatic seaside resort of Pula in Croatia.
Inside the Courtroom and the Severity of the Sentences
Seven members of the Hamidovic clan—comprising four men and three women—stood trial facing severe charges including human trafficking, organized theft, corruption of minors, money laundering, and criminal association. All defendants denied the allegations, with Hamidovic’s defense counsel, Emperatrice Aguirre, arguing that the punishment was overly severe and claiming a lack of material evidence linking her client to human trafficking.
The court ultimately handed down decisive penalties:
| Defendant | Role | Sentence | Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roberto Hamidovic | Clan Patriarch | 8 years (maximum) | €500,000 |
| Lejla Hamidovic | Wife / Co-conspirator | 6 years | €300,000 |
| Family Relatives & Sons | Network Operators | 5 to 7 years | Various fines |
In addition to the prison terms and substantial fines, the court ordered that all seven convicted individuals face extradition and permanent bans preventing their return to France upon completing their sentences.
Decades of Counter-Operations and Structural Persistence
A pre-trial investigation by Le Monde mapped how Roberto Hamidovic’s 22-year-old son, Roberto Hamidovic Jr., nicknamed Gony, managed daily logistics by booking taxis to transport the underage thieves across various Parisian sites.
This operational blueprint mirrors historical precedent. In 2010, French authorities arrested Roberto’s uncle, Fehmi Hamidovic, alongside associates in Italy and southern France. At the time, Paris judicial police chief Christian Flaesch remarked that breaking up the network felt like dismantling a completely medieval structure. Following Fehmi’s conviction in 2013, which also yielded a seven-year sentence, Roberto stepped into command, overseeing a network believed responsible for up to 75% of thefts within the Paris Métro.
