Ransom of 20 mln euros for French hostages 'plausible': expert A reported figure of 20 million euros paid in ransom money for the liberation of four French hostages in Niger is 'plausible', but President Francois Hollande will never admit that France paid any money to free hostages, according to AFP journalist Dorothee Moisan, author of a recent book on the topic, 'Ransom. An inquiry into the hostage business'. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES.