Probe into ‘ghost jobs’ spooks French leader
Le Pen’s bodyguard, assistant quizzed over EU ‘fraud’
Paris, Feb. 22: The French police on Wednesday took far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen’s bodyguard and chief of staff in custody and quizzed them over suspicion that her party defrauded the European Union (EU) of 340,000 euros.
A source in Ms Le Pen’s National Front (FN) party confirmed that her bodyguard Thierry Legier and her personal assistant Catherine Griset were held for questioning in Nanterre, near Paris where the party has its headquarters, as part of a probe launched in December. The duo was questioned over “fake jobs” allegations.
Ms Le Pen denounced the latest move in a financial sleaze case that has landed her in the spotlight alongside another leading candidate, Francois Fillon, being investigated over public funds he paid to his wife and children.
The FN leader has angrily denied the allegations, and on Wednesday again described the investigation as a vendetta against her. Ms Le Pen on Wednesday said she was convinced that voters would not fall for what her lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi called a “manipulation” designed to destabilise her.
“The French can tell the difference between genuine scandals and political dirty-tricks,” she said.
Despite allegations, Ms Le Pen is consistently tipped in opinion polls to win the April 23 first round of the two-round race but is also tipped to lose the two-way runoff ballot on May 7 to either Mr Fillon or another independent candidate, Emmanuel Macron.
Wednesday’s detentions followed a police raid on Monday on Ms Le Pen’s National Front party headquarters in Paris, while she was abroad.
Mr Fillon’s poll ratings fell after a scam concerning him surfaced in late January but they have since steadied and he is neck-and-neck with Mr Macron for the other slot in the May 7 duel. The French can tell the difference between genuine scandals and political dirty tricks Marine Le Pen,