Prosecutors allege Montaclair created the International Society of Philology to award himself a Gold Medal of Philology. The prize was presented as an international award and appeared on his CV. According to Euronews, colleagues at Marie & Louis Pasteur University and journalists investigated and found no legal structure, genuine jury, or funds.
Montaclair allegedly organized a ceremony at the National Assembly in Paris in 2016 where he awarded himself the medal. ' The controversy was uncovered in 2019 when Eugen Simion was named the next recipient. Noam Chomsky is reported to have attended a 2017 ceremony and received an honorary medal.
no longer holds any position whatsoever within the university
The university's deputy director of communications confirmed Montaclair no longer holds any position there. A disciplinary process by the Ministry of Education could result in withdrawal of his professorial title, according to Euronews. Montaclair denies all allegations.
According to The Independent - Main, he described it as an attempt to set up a new distinction that failed.