French prosecutors have requested the trial of 23 individuals and entities in a corruption case involving BNP Paribas and the families of former African heads of state.
The National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) named the French lender alongside four real estate firms and 18 individuals, including children of former Gabonese President Omar Bongo and Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, wife of the Congolese leader.
The move signals an escalation in France's pursuit of illicit financial flows linked to African political elites.
BNP Paribas shares faced selling pressure as the news emerged, reflecting investor concern over renewed legal liabilities.
The bank is already navigating a separate legal battle in the United States, where it appeals a New York court ruling holding it liable for financing the regime of Omar al-Bashir in Sudan.
Swiss authorities have previously signaled indirect support for the bank in that matter.