Fillon faces probe over wife’s ‘fake job’
PARIS: French investigators launched a preliminary probe Wednesday into claims presidential frontrunner Francois Fillon gave his wife a fake job for years, paying her 500,000 (RM2.3 million).
The investigation for “misuse of public money” was triggered by the Canard Enchaine newspaper, which claimed that British-born Penelope Fillon had a fictitious role as a parliamentary aide to her husband, a conservative MP for the northern Sarthe region.
The paper, which mixes satire and investigative reporting, said it had been unable to find anyone who remembered her working in parliament.
Fillon said the claims, which dominated headlines throughout the day, were “mudslinging” and “misogynistic”.
“I see that the mudslinging season has started,” he said at a campaign event in Bordeaux.
“I won’t comment because there is nothing to comment on and I would like to say that I am outraged by the disdain and misogyny in this article.”
In a statement later on Wednesday, Fillon said he hoped to be auditioned by investigators “as soon as possible” to “set out the truth”, adding that the claims were “baseless”.
Fillon’s spokesman Thierry Solere confirmed to AFP Tuesday that Penelope had worked for her husband, an arrangement he said was “common” among French MPs.
Hiring family members is not against the rules if the person is genuinely employed, but attention is focused on what work Penelope carried out for a salary of sometimes around 7,000 a month. – AFP