An employee at the Disneyland Paris theme park in France has been arrested for allegedly using the credit card numbers of VIP clients he came in contact with to buy himself thousands of euros worth of goods, police said last Thursday (4 December).

The man, identified in media reports only as Jean-Pierre S, was believed to have defrauded stars such as former France international footballer David Ginola, French singer Eddie Barclay, and a number of wealthy Gulf Arab businessmen.

Police said the employee was put under criminal investigation last Wednesday and released under police supervision.

He was suspected of using his position in a special VIP welcome centre at the park over the past two years to note the credit card details of the rich and famous as they checked in to get privileged access to rides and hotels.

He then allegedly used the information to buy himself DVD players, concert tickets and holidays to the tune of at least 53,000 euros on the the internet or by telephone.

One card provided, American Express, which first noticed the discrepancies in client bills, contacted French police, who traced the fraud back to Disneyland Paris. Details: www.afp.fr