A French judge has been appointed to lead an investigation into Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi over allegations of undeclared work, following a legal complaint filed by his former right-hand man Hicham Karmoussi, the Paris public prosecutor’s office confirmed on Friday to **[Agence France Presse](https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/L-enquete-pour-travail-dissimule-visant-le-president-du-psg-nasser-al-khelaifi-confiee-a-un-juge-d-instruction/1564154)**.
The judicial investigation was opened on April 18 after Karmoussi filed a civil party complaint — a legal step in French law that triggers the appointment of an investigating magistrate. The move marks a significant escalation from a preliminary investigation launched in 2023 following Karmoussi’s initial complaint.
Karmoussi, a former professional tennis player, claims to have worked full-time for Al-Khelaïfi from 2011, coinciding with the Qatari executive’s arrival at the helm of PSG. The Moroccan national alleges he did so without a formal employment contract, living on-site and performing a wide range of personal duties for the PSG president. According to his legal complaint, working and living conditions deteriorated from 2015 onwards.
In a statement shared by his legal counsel Me Antoine Ory, Karmoussi welcomed the judge’s appointment as _“an important milestone he has long awaited.”_
The investigation will examine possible charges of undeclared work, as well as harassment and exploitation of a vulnerable person, the latter of which was flagged during the preliminary probe.
Al-Khelaïfi’s camp, in response, has dismissed the allegations. _“We’ve sadly become accustomed to wild and baseless defamation campaigns in recent years, which we will not dignify with media responses,”_ a spokesperson for the PSG president told **Le Monde**_. “We place our trust in the rule of law and the justice system and will continue to pursue all legal actions, often as a victim, with full confidence and composure.”_
The case is further complicated by other ongoing legal matters involving Karmoussi. In July 2024, he was indicted and placed under judicial supervision as part of a separate investigation into alleged spying operations involving former PSG security staff, a lobbyist, and members of the French police. He is also currently facing defamation proceedings filed by Al-Khelaïfi.
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