Congolese rap star Gims arrested in France on money laundering charge

Congolese singer and rapper Gims looks out from the stands during the Africa Cup of Nations group D soccer match between Botswana and DR Congo in Rabat, Morocco, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

French police have arrested and charged Congolese rap megastar Gims over offences including money laundering in collusion with organized crime, prosecutors said on Friday.

The singer, who often boasts of his life of luxury in his tunes bringing together afrobeats, pop and hip hop, was arrested on Wednesday on arrival at a Paris airport by anti-fraud officers.

Gims, whose hit “Est-ce que tu m’aimes? - Pilule bleue” (Do you love me? - Blue Pill) boasts more than half a billion streams on Spotify, was released under judicial supervision and ordered to pay bail.

The French organized crime prosecutor’s office insisted that he benefits from the presumption of innocence.

According to Africa Intelligence, the investigation involves a massive scheme to avoid French taxes, with a massive luxury real estate development promoted by Gims in Marrakesh in the spotlight.

Baptised Sunset Village Private Residences, this ongoing project of 118 ultra-high-end villas, complete with sports grounds, a spa, sauna, and hammam dotted around a 3,000 square metre (32,300 square foot) lagoon, was launched to great fanfare in 2025 in Gims’s presence.