A recent event at the French National Assembly garnered significant attention, not for its prominent attendees such as Nobel laureates and esteemed academics, but for a lesser-known literature professor. Florent Montaclair, a 46-year-old educator with a modest appearance, was honored with the 2016 Gold Medal of Philology, an accolade awarded by a purported international society dedicated to linguistics.
Montaclair made history as the first French recipient of this medal, which had previously been awarded to renowned Italian author and linguist Umberto Eco. However, what seemed to be a prestigious recognition has now drawn the attention of law enforcement, as investigators allege that the award was entirely fabricated and part of an elaborate international scam.
While the ceremony did indeed occur, it has been revealed that the International Society of Philology does not exist. The American university associated with it was found to be a mere online entity, traced back to a jewelry shop in Lewes, Delaware. The medal, which was likened to a Nobel Prize, was reportedly purchased by Montaclair from a Paris jeweler for €250, intended as a self-award.
Montaclair is currently under investigation for various charges, including forgery and fraud, although he maintains his innocence. Public prosecutor Paul-Édouard Lallois from Montbéliard indicated that detectives have spent considerable time unraveling what he termed a “tissue of lies,” asserting that all evidence points back to Montaclair.
Lallois characterized the situation as a massive deception that could inspire a film or television series. The focus of the investigation is whether Montaclair leveraged the fabricated medal and an alleged “doctorate” from the fictional University of Philology and Education in the US to secure a promotion and salary increase at his position with the Marie and Louis Pasteur University in Besançon.
Prior to 2015, Montaclair was an ordinary teaching instructor with a passion for writing fantasy novels, particularly those featuring vampires. His profile began to change when a local newspaper article suggested he was set to receive an award on par with the Nobel Prize or Fields Medal. Following the award ceremony, Montaclair arranged for Noam Chomsky, a prominent American intellectual, to receive the honor in Paris, a gathering that attracted around 200 attendees.
In 2018, he extended the award to Romanian academic Eugen Simion, causing the elaborate ruse to begin unraveling. Investigative journalists from the Romanian online publication Scena9 became suspicious and uncovered that both the University of Philology and Education and the International Society of Philology were simply websites created in France.
The fraud might have gone unnoticed had Montaclair not sought further recognition by applying for a promotion to the French Ministry of Higher Education in 2018, submitting a “state doctorate” from the fictitious university as part of his application. Although this qualification was not recognized in France, he was nonetheless elevated to the position of associate professor.
Upon being alerted to the alleged deception, Lallois and law enforcement officials visited Montaclair’s residence with a search warrant. Montaclair reportedly acknowledged the nature of their inquiry, stating, “It’s about the medal, I suppose.” He admitted to ordering the medal and managing certain websites, yet he continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Lallois emphasized that the core of the investigation revolves around whether Montaclair’s promotion and any financial benefits derived from the purportedly fraudulent diploma and medal constitute criminal activity. He explained that Montaclair views the medal as not being a forgery since there is no genuine equivalent to forge.
According to Lallois, while anyone can create an award for themselves without facing legal repercussions, the situation changes if such claims are made to employers or the media, leading to professional recognition. This is where the potential for fraud arises, as Montaclair allegedly misled others into believing he was the sole recipient of an international distinction within a niche academic field.
Montaclair is facing an impending suspension from his university pending a separate investigation, although he has communicated his intent to appeal this decision. His attorney, Jean-Baptiste Euvrard, described the case as a “real-life drama,” suggesting that Montaclair may have become overwhelmed by the extent of his own fabrication. Euvrard contended that conceiving a fictitious international award and the society behind it does not constitute a criminal act, arguing that creativity should not be penalized, as it ultimately depends on the perspective of the audience.
