The trial of François Fillon and his wife, on appeal for suspicion of fictitious jobs, opens in Paris – archyde

François Fillon back at the helm. The former prime minister, his wife and his ex-deputy are on appeal, from Monday, November 15, in the case of the suspicion of fictitious jobs of Penelope Fillon which weighed down the race for the Elysee Palace of her husband in 2017.

This second trial is held almost a year and a half later the conviction of the former tenant of Matignon, for embezzlement of public funds in particular, to five years of imprisonment including two firm, 375,000 euros fine and ten years of ineligibility. He immediately appealed.

Read also Article reserved for our subscribers On the trail of Penelope and François Fillon’s income

The three defendants are expected at the Paris courthouse at 1:30 p.m., for a first day devoted to procedural matters. The Court of Appeal examines the case until November 30.

A succession of revelations

The chained Duck unveiled the “Penelopegate” on January 24, 2017, leading to the opening of an investigation. The revelations had followed one another and the candidate of the right, champion of integrity and favorite in the polls, had been examined six weeks before the first round.

Now 67 years old and retired, François Fillon will have to explain himself on his wife’s employment as parliamentary assistant between 1998 and 2013, within the framework of three contracts signed by him and by the one who was then his deputy in Sarthe, Marc Joulaud.

Services remunerated 613,000 euros net (more than one million euros gross) “Fictitious or overvalued” according to the prosecution, which considers that the activities of Penelope Fillon fell within the “Social role” of a “Spouse of a politician”, but not of a collaborator. Penelope Fillon’s work was certainly ” discreet “, mostly oral, but ” essential “, has always claimed her husband.

The couple are also on trial for the employment of their two children as parliamentary assistants to their father senator between 2005 and 2007 (100,000 euros gross) as well as for the lucrative contract of Penelope Fillon as “Literary advisor” in 2012 and 2013 at the Review of two worlds, owned by Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière – 135,000 euros gross.

Friend of François Fillon, this businessman recognized, in a separate procedure, a partly fictitious job and he was convicted in 2018 for abuse of corporate assets.

François Fillon is finally being prosecuted for having failed to declare a loan from Mr. Ladreit de Lacharrière to the tune of 50,000 euros to the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life – he was released at first instance.

Read also Article reserved for our subscribers Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, public friend n ° 1

The defense criticizes a “mad investigation”

What is at stake in this appeal trial is that ” innocence “ by François Fillon “And that of his wife are finally recognized”, summed up to Agence France-Presse (AFP) the lawyer for François Fillon, Mr.^e Antonin Lévy.

At first instance, Penelope Fillon was sentenced to three years in prison, a fine of 375,000 euros and two years of ineligibility. Marc Joulaud received a three-year suspended prison sentence, a € 20,000 suspended fine and five years of ineligibility. Both also appealed.

“Assistance” of the 66-year-old Franco-Welsh “Corresponded exactly to what Marc Joulaud needed to best exercise the mandate of deputy of François Fillon, while the latter exercised in Paris the responsibilities of minister”, assured AFP the lawyer of Mr. Joulaud, M^e Jean Veil. The National Assembly, civil party, had obtained more than one million euros in damages.

Read also Article reserved for our subscribers At the Fillon trial, the unfailing loyalty of Marc Joulaud

Defense, which from the outset has criticized a “Crazy investigation” and “Dependent”, also counts during this second trial “To debate” statements by the former head of the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office Eliane Houlette in June 2020, a few days before the delivery of the judgment – the lawyers had requested, in vain, a postponement of the decision.

The magistrate then spoke in parliamentary committee of “Pressures” hierarchical in this folder, which had revived in the Fillon camp the accusations of instrumentalization of justice.

The Head of State Emmanuel Macron had at the time seized the Superior Council of the Magistracy which has since concluded, in September 2020, that justice worked ” independently “ in this extraordinary affair.

In September 2021, the press revealed that a second investigation targeting François Fillon had been opened in 2017, concerning the conditions of employment of another parliamentary assistant, the writer Maël Renouard, between 2013 and 2015. This investigation is still ongoing.

The World with AFP