France may be a liberal country in many respects, but some people go just a bit too far:

Dentist makes two million euros declaring crowns he didn’t sell

A dentist billed the national health service (aka Secu) for dental prostheses his patients never received. Patients who came to see him for a few cavities, went on record as having received two crowns. The total damage to the Secu in two years was close to 2 million euros, of which 1.2 million in 2005 alone. Patients will now have to look elsewhere for their fillings: the dentist has been suspended for six months. (Source)

Sandwich bar hides striptease club

A shop, registered as a sandwich bar, never sold a single baguette au jambon fromage. Instead, it dealt with a different sort of appetite. Behind the shop front, boarded with signs “Closed for renovation, re-opening in March“, twenty young girls entertained the hungry guests with stripteases. Neighbours knew all the time something was wrong. “It was obvious they didn’t sell food there“, says a neighbour who wants to remain anonymous. “My son’s friend has been inside, and was even allowed to touch the girls“. Touching times are over now. The shop owner, a 26-year old woman, is under arrest. (Source)

Ex-employee steals 2,000 smelly cheeses

A former employee of a cheese factory stole 2,000 cheeses in six months. He broke in four times during that period, but got caught red-handed by a surveillance camera. He had sold the cheeses at a third of their actual price, claiming they were degraded. It’s a miracle he hadn’t been caught earlier; among the cheeses he stole were Reblochons, which is one of France’s most odorous cheeses. (Source)