Montaclair, 56, who worked for more than 20 years at Marie and Louis Pasteur University, France, is accused of inventing the International Society of Philology and using it to grant himself the so-called Gold Medal of Philology in 2016.

Philology is the study of language through written texts, and prominent scholars such as American linguist Noam Chomsky are well known for their work in the field.

According to prosecutor Paul-Edouard Lallois, Montaclair began the scheme in 2015. Around that time, a local newspaper published an article suggesting he was close to winning the equivalent of a Nobel Prize or the Fields Medal, with the headline "Local man on shortlist for Nobel," as reported by The Independent.

The report said he had beaten strong competition to reach the final five candidates before it was announced in December 2015 that he had won.

An awards ceremony was then held at the National Assembly in June 2016, where Montaclair collected the prize in front of 200 people including Nobel prize winners, former government ministers, MPs, decorated scientists and academics.

French professor Florent Montaclair. Photo from LinkedIn

The case began to unravel in 2018 when Montaclair named Romanian academic Eugen Simion, then 85, as the next winner. The announcement drew major attention in Romania and prompted scrutiny of the award, revealing that the International Society of Philology did not exist.

Investigators found that the supposed American university linked to the society existed only online, while its listed address in Lewes, Delaware, U.S., belonged to a business services company.

According to The Guardian, the medal itself had been purchased by Montaclair from a jeweler in Paris for €250 (US$294).

After being alerted to the alleged fraud, police arrived at Montaclair’s home in February with a search warrant. Montaclair admitted ordering the medal and creating or managing certain websites, but denied any wrongdoing.

When approached by Le Monde, he said: "It's not a con. It's an attempt to set up a new distinction in the world of academia - an attempt that failed."

Lallois said a key part of the investigation was whether Montaclair used the allegedly fake diploma and medal to secure a promotion or gain material benefits.

His lawyer, Jean-Baptiste Euvrard, described the case as "a real-life drama" and said his client had been "a little overwhelmed by what he created." He argued that inventing an international award and the society behind it "is not a criminal offence."

Montaclair has been expelled from the Marie and Louis Pasteur University, according to Euronews.

Lallois said he plans to question Montaclair again in the coming weeks before deciding whether to file charges. If convicted, the professor could face up to five years in prison.