Albert Oustric | |
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Born | Carcassonne, Aude, France | 2 September 1887
Died | 16 April 1971 Toulouse, France | (aged 83)
Nationality | French |
Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, banker |
Known for | Bank failure scandal |
Albert Oustric (2 September 1887 – 16 April 1971) was a French entrepreneur and banker. He was the son of a cafe proprietor, and held various jobs before managing to raise capital for a hydroelectric power generation company. He founded a small bank in 1919 and specialized in turning around enterprises that were in financial difficulty through debt consolidation and the sale of shares at inflated prices. He invested in a wide range of industries from mining to leather goods and retail banking. His group was bankrupted by the economic crisis that started in 1929, and many small depositors were ruined. Oustric was found guilty of fraud and embezzlement and spent several years in prison. A commission of inquiry found that several politicians had protected Oustric, including the Minister of Justice. The Senate tried and acquitted them.