World Briefs INVESTIGATION EXPANDS INTO FRENCH PARTY

paris» French prosecutors have issued preliminary charges against a contractor for the far-right National Front party who’s close to its presidential candidate, Marine Le Pen, in an investigation into financing political campaigns in 2014 and 2015.

The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed Saturday that Frederic Chatillon was charged with “misuse of company assets” on Feb. 15. Chatillon heads a company that works for Le Pen’s National Front party.

These are the first charges in the investigation, which began in October.

The revelation comes days after a top aide to Le Pen, Catherine Griset, was charged with receiving money through a breach of trust in a second, separate probe into the National Front.

The National Front denies wrongdoing.

The man, who was driving a rental car, hit three people outside a bakery on Saturday afternoon. A 73year-old German man died of his injuries in the evening at a local hospital.

The suspect, a 35-yearold German whose identity wasn’t released, was taken to a hospital and underwent an operation.

Police and prosecutors said that there are no indications of any terrorist background and that the man acted alone.