Fillon’s wife charged in ‘fake job’ inquiry

Embattled conservative’s British wife under formal investigation for alleged misuse of public money

The wife of French presidential candidate François Fillon was last night charged in an inquiry into whether she was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for a fictitious job as his assistant. The decision to place Penelope Fillon under formal investigation was the latest blow to his campaign.

THE British wife of French conservative presidential candidate François Fillon was last night charged in an inquiry into whether she was paid hundreds of thousands of euros for a fictitious job as her husband’s parliamentary assistant.

In the latest blow to her husband’s presidential bid, judicial sources said that Penelope Fillon, 61, had been placed under formal investigation, the equivalent of being charged in Britain, for complicity and concealment in misappropriating public funds, concealed misuse of funds and concealed aggravated fraud.

Welsh-born Mrs Fillon and two of her children were paid for jobs as parliamentary assistants at a cost to tax- payers of around €800,000 (£700,000) over 20 years. In parallel, between May 2012 and December 2013, Mrs Fillon was also paid a total of about €100,000 by a literary review owned by one of her husband’s friends.

Investigators suspect that she was in fact paid to do nothing in both roles. She previously told The Telegraph: “I have never been his assistant.”

Mr Fillon was charged earlier this month for misappropriating public funds and misuse of funds. His successor as an MP, Marc Joulaud, has also been charged on the same counts. Last week, the national financial prosecution service said it had widened the investigation to include allegations of aggravated fraud and falsified documents.

After questioning Mrs Fillon yesterday for “several hours”, according to a judicial source, judges chose to add the serious charge of “concealed aggravated fraud” but not forgery.

When questioned she is said to have insisted she had prepared her husband’s notes, wrote his memos and rep- resented him at cultural events, as well as “opening mail” at the couple’s home. Mr Fillon insisted she carried out “simple but essential tasks”.

Judges reportedly want to know whether a note in which Mrs Fillon declares having a monthly job with the literary review accounting for 14 hours along with her assistant post was deliberately minimised to avoid breaking parliamentary rules on working hours. Both of her jobs were supposedly full time.

The charges are the latest setback for Mr Fillon, whose campaign has been hit by a succession of corruption allegations since he won the Republicans’ primary in November.

Once the presidential frontrunner, the former prime minister has dropped to third place in polls. In recent days, Mr Fillon has denounced what he called a “plot” to kill off his chances.

If Mr Fillon clinches the French presidency, he can claim immunity from prosecution. His wife, however, cannot, raising the prospect of her standing trial during her husband’s five-year term.