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Le Ribault had nothing to do with these ventures, but in January 1996, after a number of apparently genuine complaints had been received about these fake products, the Order of Doctors and the Order of Pharmacologists, the professional institutions which pro- tect the interests of doctors and pharmacists throughout France, laid a complaint against Le Ribault before an examining magis- trate, citing the illegal practices of medicine and pharmacology. Initially, with the naivety of one divorced from politics, Le Ribault was pleased that the complaint had been lodged: "...this was something which I had been looking for, something which I expected. I thought that now the court would be obliged to instruct someone to make the tests." Le Ribault had about six months' grace before the hearing was due. In the midst of these assaults, Le Ribault was unable to perceive that an all-out campaign had begun, the objective of which was to put an end to the therapeutic use of his discovery. His confusion and unhappiness were deepened by the death of Jean-Michel Graille in April 1996. Graille, perhaps his most articulate public supporter, died suddenly and unexpectedly, aged fifty, of a stroke while relaxing in his garden. Le Ribault had nothing to do with these ventures, but in January "I got permission from the prime minister to start a health centre. 1996, after a number of apparently genuine complaints had been I had two kinds of patients. Local patients who had no money, and received about these fake products, the Order of Doctors and the I never asked for money from them—they paid what they were Order of Pharmacologists, the professional institutions which pro- able for their treatment; they brought me fish and vegetables and tect the interests of doctors and pharmacists throughout France, other things. In the evenings I went to the big hotels filled with the laid a complaint against Le Ribault before an examining magis- millionaire tourists, to cure them of their sunburn. Every day I had trate, citing the illegal practices of medicine and pharmacology. between twenty and forty tourists to cure. G5 gets rid of the pain Initially, with the naivety of one divorced from politics, Le of sunburn within five minutes and within an hour cures the Ribault was pleased that the complaint had been lodged: "...this sunburn itself. I also taught the barmen in the hotel bars how to was something which I had been looking for, something which I use G5, so every evening the barmen applied poultices to the expected. I thought that now the court would be obliged to tourists." instruct someone to make the tests." Le Ribault had about six During his time in Antigua, Le Ribault pursued an embittered months' grace before the hearing was due. relationship with his homeland. When he received regulatory In the midst of these assaults, Le Ribault was unable to perceive agreement to produce and use G5 on Antigua, he made sure that that an all-out campaign had begun, the objective of which was to _ the French press raised awkward questions about the situation in put an end to the therapeutic use of his discovery. His confusion France. and unhappiness were deepened by the death of Jean-Michel But Le Ribault's strategy of embarrassment was to cost him Graille in April 1996. Graille, perhaps his most articulate public dearly. Two days after the issue was rz in the French newspa- supporter, died suddenly and unexpectedly, aged fifty, of a stroke _ pers, the French police raided the home of his eighty-five-year-old while relaxing in his garden. mother and questioned her for five hours. His mother, who had been fit and healthy before the inter- STRANDED IN ANTIGUA rogation, fell ill that evening. She Le Ribault looks back with some never recovered her health, and she mirth upon his own unworldliness died two weeks later. and the dangers which he has faced. . . The police told Ribault's mother His most self-deprecating tale, in an Either by conspiracy or that there was now a warrant out for otherwise dark melodrama, is the criminal opportunism, Le Ribault’ arrest and that they story of how he came to end up in . were searching for documents no Antigua. companies suddenly began to only about G5 but also about Following the publication of spring up claiming to be Ribault's forensic laboratory Graille's story, many individuals p . g p oe 1g CARME. Le Ribault thinks now sent money, £500,000 in total, to using organic silica for that his trouble began to develop enable Le Ribault to build a clinic. health therapi over G5 when the police had Amongst the sharks who suddenly ealth the ap es. become concerned about the possi- appeared wanting a piece of the ble leaking of information about action was a group of businessmen sensitive police cases. who sought to advise Le Ribault on Stranded in the Caribbean, Le setting up a company. He took their Ribault was deeply saddened by the advice, transferring the control of the new company to nominee death of his mother and angered by what appeared to be a shareholders suggested by the group. gratuitous police strategy. He had not hidden himself in Antigua; After some discussion and planning, Le Ribault was told that the judge who was dealing with the complaint against him had his contacts had been made and bank accounts opened for him to set fax and phone numbers and address. up his clinic in Antigua. His passport had been stolen in the "The police knew that my mother was very old and tired. When house burglary, so with his fare paid by the company he set off for she died, I suppose they reckoned that I would turn up at the Antigua, undercover, via the French protectorate of Martinique. It funeral and they would be able to arrest me." was only when he'd landed in Antigua and found no one there to meet him that he began to realise he was alone on the other side of | ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT IN FRANCE the world with no passport, no English language, no funds and no In November 1997, Le Ribault felt obliged to go back to France friends. to recover the personal and work documents which he needed to "I was told that the prime minister himself would be waiting for continue work in Antigua. Knowing there was a warrant out for me in Antigua with a diplomatic passport and I would be free to _his arrest, he decided to return covertly. travel. I was told that there was a bank account for me and every- "It was my intention to show the Antiguan agreement to people thing was ready to start the clinic. Of course, when I got there, no in France in the hope that I could get a similar one there. I visited one was waiting for me. I had only three small bottles of G5." doctors and a number of other sympathisers who I thought could As resourceful as ever, Le Ribault began treating the rich, push my case forward." elderly and often arthritic boat owners as they returned from a Although Le Ribault was "underground" in France, two of his day's sailing around the coast. At the end of his first day's work, friends suggested that he give a lecture about G5 to a select he had a hundred pounds and appointments for the whole of the audience. Unbeknown to him, however, his friends had contacted following week. the police and told them where the seminar was being held, with A week later, he had enough money to travel back to France, the intention of creating media interest in his case and G5. To set had he wanted to. By his own perseverance, Le Ribault made the Le Ribault's mind at ease, his friends told him that if the police contacts himself which should have been made for him in did appear he would be whisked away, leaving sympathetic Antigua. attending journalists to report the crisis. Either by conspiracy or criminal opportunism, companies suddenly began to spring up claiming to be using organic silica for health therapies. ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT IN FRANCE In November 1997, Le Ribault felt obliged to go back to France to recover the personal and work documents which he needed to continue work in Antigua. Knowing there was a warrant out for his arrest, he decided to return covertly. "It was my intention to show the Antiguan agreement to people in France in the hope that I could get a similar one there. I visited doctors and a number of other sympathisers who I thought could push my case forward." Although Le Ribault was "underground" in France, two of his friends suggested that he give a lecture about G5 to a select audience. Unbeknown to him, however, his friends had contacted the police and told them where the seminar was being held, with the intention of creating media interest in his case and G5. To set Le Ribault's mind at ease, his friends told him that if the police did appear he would be whisked away, leaving sympathetic attending journalists to report the crisis. APRIL — MAY 2005 NEXUS = 23 www.nexusmagazine.com