The head of the breast implant company at the centre of an international health scare admitted using cheap silicone gel in his products to cut costs but told police he had "nothing to say" to those affected, according to French reports.
Questioned by fraud squad officers in November, Jean-Claude Mas, 72, founder of Poly Implant Prothèses, admitted using a silicone that was not authorised and said company staff were instructed to hide this from inspectors.
But, according to Le Parisien newspaper and TF1 television, he insisted the implants, which surgeons have said have a higher risk of rupturing, posed no health threat to women.
"The material was better than that used to make the officially authorised gel," Mas reportedly told police. "Usually, from 1997 onwards we hid the products used to make the PIP gel. I wasn't allowed to buy these products because they were not authorised. We organised everything to escape being monitored."
He allegedly told police he had ordered staff to "hide the truth" in 1993, two years after the company was established.
According to the reports, he added: "We did it for 13 years without a problem."
The PIP gel cost €5 (£4) a litre while the authorised American gel Nusil was €35 a litre. The PIP implants were made with 75% non-authorised gel and 25% Nusil, Mas allegedly told police.
Mas was interviewed by investigators on 18 and 19 November 2010 after the French health authority AFSSAPS discovered the PIP breast implants did not conform to regulations. They passed the case to a judge who ordered a police inquiry for "aggravated deception".
Asked about the women who claimed to have suffered health problems after being fitted with the sub-standard implants he replied: "The victims are only suing to get money … I have nothing to say to them."
Asked again if he had anything to say to the women, he said: "Nothing".
Le Parisien reported that an officer asked Mas: "We have received up until now thousands of complaints from victims. How do you feel about that?"
"I have felt fine for 30 years," Mas reportedly replied.
Laurent Gaudon, a lawyer representing several women who have suffered problems after being given PIP implants, said Mas showed "greed" and a "frightening cynicism".
Mas has refused to comment over recent allegations. This week his son Nicolas Lucciardi, admitted his father's company had acted fraudulently but said: "Nobody has proved they [PIP implants] cause cancer."
An investigation has been launched in France into charges of manslaughter and unintentional injury against PIP, which supplied 65 countries and was once the world's third largest manufacturer of breast implants. A second case of aggravated deception is under investigation.
