French billionaire Bernard Arnault and his wife have been ordered to pay nearly €22.5 million (approximately ₹245 crore) in additional taxes following a ruling by the Paris Administrative Court of Appeal, according to a decision cited by AFP.
The court ruled that Arnault, chairman and chief executive of luxury conglomerate , and his wife owe French tax authorities €12.96 million in additional liabilities for the 2010 tax year. The amount includes unpaid taxes, social contributions, penalties and interest on late payments.
In addition, the couple has been directed to pay €9.5 million related to France’s wealth solidarity tax for the period between 2012 and 2015, according to the judgment published on July 2 on the administrative court’s official website.
Arnault’s legal team has indicated that the decision will not be the final word on the matter. A spokesperson for the billionaire told AFP on Saturday that the ruling will be challenged before France’s highest administrative court, the Council of State.
The tax dispute centres on what has been described as Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE’s “complex shareholding structure.” French news outlet l’Informé, which first reported the court’s decision, said the case involves the way certain ownership arrangements within the luxury group were assessed by tax authorities.
Bernard Arnault’s Net Worth
Luxury goods giant LVMH posted revenue of €19.1 billion ($22.5 billion) for the first quarter of 2026, marking a 6% decline from the same period last year. Despite maintaining positive underlying growth, investor sentiment has remained weak. As of April 14, 2026, LVMH shares had fallen about 26% since the start of the year, reflecting concerns over the luxury sector’s outlook and broader market pressures.
The sharp decline in the company’s stock has significantly dented the wealth of founder and chief executive Bernard Arnault. Holding roughly half of LVMH’s shares, along with minority investments in Hermes and Birkenstock, Arnault has seen his fortune shrink by nearly $50 billion this year.
Bernard Arnault remains Europe’s wealthiest individual and held the title of the world’s richest person on several occasions between 2019 and 2024, when his net worth peaked at an estimated $233 billion, according to Forbes.
Now 77, the French billionaire’s wealth is estimated at around $151 billion, placing him ninth on Forbes’ global rich list, behind Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Bernard Arnault is France’s — and Europe’s — richest person and currently the eighth richest in the world with a net worth of about $165 billion.
Bernard Arnault’s Career
Bernard Arnault began his professional career in the construction industry before making a transformational move into luxury goods in 1984. That year, he acquired Christian Dior for $95 million after the company emerged from bankruptcy and gradually expanded his stake in LVMH while the group was embroiled in a management battle.
By 1989, Arnault had secured control of LVMH, integrated Dior into the business and embarked on building one of the world’s largest luxury conglomerates. Today, the group owns a portfolio of 75 prestigious brands spanning fashion, jewellery, cosmetics, wines and spirits.
Bernard Arnault made his debut on the Forbes World’s Billionaires list in 1997 with an estimated net worth of $3.6 billion. Nearly three decades later, despite a steep decline in his fortune this year, he continues to rank among the wealthiest people in the world, with his wealth closely tied to the performance of LVMH’s global luxury empire.