A Brussels Instruction judge has been selected to deal with a civil complaint submitted by French Far-right Presidential candidate Marine Le Pen. She has submitted a complaint about the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), accusing them of lying in official documents. The complaint was submitted in January, according to the Brussels Prosecutor’s office. They didn’t want to reveal any more details, in the interests of the inquiry.
On Friday the French Far-right Presidential candidate Marine le Pen denied admitting to falsely employing her bodyguard as a European Parliamentary assistant, which contradicts an OLAF report that two French newspapers have reported on.
The newspaper Marianne’s website Mediapart spoke about OLAF’s report on Thursday. The report claims Mrs Le Pen falsely employed her bodyguard Thierry Légier as a Parliamentary assistant, “to sort out salaries and charges”.
When asked about the report, she said “there had been an accountancy arrangement between the European Parliament and the third party in this case”, but there was “absolutely nothing false about it”.
“I have proof which I will provide when necessary, which I have already sent to OLAF”, she added.
When the AFP asked her about it on Thursday, the OLAF press office said “the inquiry has found that the MP drew up a fictional contract regarding one of her assistants”.
When the report was completed in 2016, it was sent to the President of the European Parliament. The European assembly took action, and should start claiming it back mid-February by halving Mrs Le Pen’s salary. When the report came out, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office opened an inquiry into abuse of trust, organised fraud, falsifying documents and illegal employment.
(Source: Belga)
