The Paris Criminal Court acquitted the ex-National Front of the charges of fraud in the funding of the legislative elections of 2012 and condemned it only in a sub-section of this case, for "concealment of abuse of social goods" . The decision "sounds like a victory for the National Rally", the political party wrote in a statement.
No "fraudulent tactics"
At the end of the trial in November, the State had demanded from the far-right party, renamed Rassemblement national, the payment of 11.6 million euros in respect of this scam, corresponding according to him to election expenses reimbursed by the money public. A sword of Damocles for the RN, which has just reached an agreement with its Russian creditor to reschedule a loan of around 9.6 million euros taken out in 2014.
But the Paris Criminal Court ruled on Tuesday that it had not found "fraudulent maneuvers" or evidence of overcharging behind the compulsory and uniform supply of campaign kits - leaflets, posters, websites ... - to party candidates and reimbursed by the public money.
The court "put an end to the very serious accusations widely reported by the media for many years", welcomes the party of Marine Le Pen. "It was ultimately accepted that a concealment of misuse of social property from the company Riwal which resulted in a sentence to a simple fine of 18,750 euros", rejoices the RN.
Interest-free credit
This fine of 18,750 euros represents the maximum amount for such an offense committed at the material time. Or much less than the 500,000 euros desired by the prosecution, which had requested the conviction for the acts of complicity in scam.
The magistrates therefore only found the party guilty for having benefited from improper advantages with the communication company Riwal, in particular the fictitious employment of two current elected representatives, Nicolas Bay and David Rachline, of the purchase of equipment and especially the granting to the FN of an interest-free loan of several million euros for three years.
Frédéric Chatillon sentenced to firm prison
Justice has also sentenced Frédéric Chatillon, a close adviser to Marine Le Pen at the head of Riwal, to two and a half years in prison, including ten months firm. This former president of Gud, the far-right student union, was also fined 250,000 euros for several scams and a long series of misuse of corporate assets to the detriment of his business, estimated at 500,000 euros by the tribunal.
Jean-François Jalkh, a party lawyer, for his part, was sentenced to two years in prison, including six months in prison, as well as a five-year ineligibility sentence. The magistrates considered that he was "the author of the financial package" and could not ignore his "fictitious nature". Against Jeanne, the micro-party of Marine Le Pen which he chaired and which served for these maneuvers, the court fixed a fine of 300,000 euros, half of which was suspended.