According to the revelations of the "Chained Duck" and "Obs" the value of the total gifts from the Smalto brand to Jack Lang could exceed half a million euros. The preliminary investigation opened for "misuse of social assets" was also extended to the period 2003-2018, against 2013-2018 previously.

Searches were conducted in November in the premises of the Italian brand Smalto in the investigation of the costumes that would have been received as a gift by the former minister Jack Lang between 2003 and 2018, sources said Tuesday. judicial and close to the case.

15 years of costumes

According to the Chained Duck and the Obs , who revealed the information, the total value of these gifts could exceed 500,000 euros. A source close to the file told AFP that the seized items allowed to assume that these gifts had been offered between 2003 and 2018, while the period originally intended was from 2013 to 2018. The Paris prosecutor's office opened on March 12 a preliminary investigation for "misuse of social assets" and entrusted the investigations to the financial brigade.

Jack Lang "proud and honored to have been chosen by leading designers" according to his lawyer

Contacted by AFP, Mr. Laurent Merlet, Jack Lang's lawyer, explained that his client, current president of the Arab World Institute (IMA), was "proud and honored to have been chosen by great designers like Yves Saint-Laurent, Thierry Mugler or Francesco Smalto to wear their clothes in their representation activities ". "It is good or bad that Jack Lang is the ambassador of such houses, it has nothing to do with a question of abuse of social good that does not exist," he added.