The president of the European Metropolis of Lille (MEL) Damien Castelain has been indicted for concealment of misuse of corporate property in the case of the Lille Grand Stade, AFP learned Thursday at the prosecutor's office, confirming information from the Voice of the North .
The elected unincorporated is suspected to have benefited for 18,000 euros of stones delivered via Eiffage, builder of the stadium, for a personal terrace. It has been under investigation since 2017 for "passive trading in influence" and "complicity of favoritism" in this investigation into the award of the Pierre-Mauroy stadium market to Eiffage in 2008, when it was one of the deficiencies. -presidents of the urban community of Lille. At the head of the MEL since 2014, he was summoned Tuesday before the investigating judge who put him on examination, this time for concealment of abuse of corporate assets.
Two other elected officials targeted by a judicial inquiry
At the beginning of July 2018, however, the Lille public prosecutor's office had demanded a dismissal of the seven persons under investigation or assisted witness, including Damien Castelain. On the other hand, he had requested additional information for this single part of the delivery via Eiffage to his stone house for the construction of a terrace.
After these requisitions of 2018, it is up to judge Jean-Marc Cathelin to decide. In addition to Damien Castelain, two former elected officials are targeted by this judicial information open for favoritism, forgery and use of forgery, corruption and trading in influence.
It is Michèle Demessine, former PCF North Senator and former Vice-President, assisted witness status, and Henri Ségard, also former Vice-President of the institution. Two former Eiffage executives are also suspected of active trading in influence, and two community officials for forgery and use of forgery. The stadium Pierre Mauroy, located in Villeneuve-d'Ascq and inaugurated in 2012, is a ultramodern enclosure of 50,000 seats, where are held mainly the matches of Losc, the football club Lille.