Paris (AFP)

François Fillon, his wife Penelope and his former deputy in the Assembly Marc Joulaud are on trial in Monday in Paris in the case of alleged fictitious jobs of the wife of the former Prime Minister.

Here is what justice accuses them of:

- A "discreet" parliamentary collaborator -

François Fillon and his ex-substitute Marc Joulaud, who employed Ms. Fillon as a permanent collaborator when they were members of the Sarthe for services deemed "fictitious or over-valued", are dismissed for "embezzlement of public funds". Penelope Fillon is tried for complicity and concealment of this crime.

It would have received 1.054 million euros for contracts from 1998 to 2002, 2002 to 2007, then 2012-2013.

Penelope Fillon, who had started working for her husband in 1981, managed her local agenda, parliamentary mail and wrote memos, supports the defense. This collaboration was essentially "oral" and the handwritten notes gradually destroyed.

But in the eyes of the judges, the documents presented as "proof" of actual work are more akin to the "trivial acts and gestures" of a "wife and mother".

For the magistrates, the Fillon spouses did everything to "conceal" this activity, known to a very small circle. They consider exaggerated "the argument of + discretion + cultivated by Penelope Fillon".

Discretion claimed by the latter, who in an interview with the "Sunday Telegraph" in 2007 assured to have "never really been" the assistant of her husband "or something of this kind". This mother of five regretted that they only see her as a "mother" despite her diplomas.

Worse, according to the judges, the employment of Penelope Fillon with Marc Joulaud, a faithful appointed substitute when François Fillon had become minister in 2002, was only a "counterpart" and a means for the Fillon "to increase their income. " She was paid better than her deputy.

- Children's jobs -

François Fillon is also suspected of having "monopolized" the funds available from his collaborator credit by successively employing, from 2005 to 2007, his two elders Marie and Charles as parliamentary assistants when he was senator of Sarthe.

For the magistrates, there also arises the question of "the reality" of their work, while Marie Fillon combined this job with a full-time internship in a law firm and her brother wrote a thesis of DEA. The wages received, valued at 117,400 euros, were largely donated to François Fillon.

The Fillon children have not been prosecuted. Their mother is tried for concealment.

- The mystery literary advisor -

On the point of leaving Matignon, in spring 2012, François Fillon had asked his friend of more than thirty years Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, boss of the company Fimalac, so that he employs his wife who "was bored".

The billionaire had hired Ms. Fillon as a literary advisor for La Revue des deux mondes. Supposed to reflect on the revival of this declining title, she also proposed to write reading notes. Only two will be published in the fall of 2012.

For the magistrates, this job of adviser was only intended to satisfy the request of an "influential politician". The director of the review and his employees were unaware that Penelope Fillon was paid as such and no trace of this activity was found. She also combined it with a new job as parliamentary assistant to her husband, elected deputy of Paris, and with a resumption of studies.

Feeling "underemployed", Penelope Fillon had resigned in December 2013, shortly after ending her parliamentary collaboration.

Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière pleaded guilty to a partly fictitious job, paid up to 135,000 euros. He was sentenced in December 2018 to eight months suspended prison sentence and 375,000 euros fine for misuse of corporate assets.

The Fillon spouses appear for complicity and concealment of this offense.

- The "forgotten" loan -

François Fillon is also on trial for failing to declare to the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP) a loan of 50,000 euros granted by Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière in May 2012.

This loan, intended to finance renovations to his house, was repaid after the outbreak of the case.

The former MP, who had declared to the HATVP a bank loan of the same amount and for the same purpose, said he was unaware that the loans between individuals had to be declared.

© 2020 AFP