As the 2022 presidential campaigns are about to kick off, the investigation of campaign accounts in 2017 seems to be gaining momentum.

And this is not good news for the candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

After the service provider in charge of logistics and the financial agent of the leader of the Insoumis, it is the turn of the LFI deputy Bastien Lachaud to be targeted by the investigators.

The one who was elected in 2017 deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis, was indicted mainly for "illicit loan of labor, forgery, swindle and attempted fraud", indicated judicial sources and close to the file, confirming information from Mediapart.

The Era of the People association in the viewfinder of justice

In the spring, the first proceedings had taken place in this judicial information opened in November 2018 on the use of public funds by Jean-Luc Mélenchon during his electoral campaign: the association l'Ere du Peuple, logistics provider at the service of the candidate, and his financial agent, were indicted on March 29 and April 29, respectively, but only for "illicit loan of labor".

At the end of their questioning, the examining magistrate decided to place them under the more favorable status of assisted witness for the main offenses of the investigation relating to suspicions of "aggravated fraud", "abuse of trust ”or“ illegal campaign financing ”.

Marie-Pierre Oprandi is also being prosecuted for “forgery”.

"It's totally absurd"

Bastien Lachaud, employee as treasurer of the People's Era, should have been, like three other employees, including the deputy Mathilde Panot, remunerated by the candidate's campaign or the party, estimates the financial magistrate who investigates the file.

Mathilde Panot and Bastien Lachaud, who have since become deputies, were at the same time members of the campaign team.

"To indict an employee of a structure for illicit loan of labor, which is equivalent to saying that the employee would have lent himself, it is totally absurd", responded to Me Mathieu Croizet, lawyer by Bastien Lachaud.

"The" false "reproached is only a dressing of this offense which does not exist", he added, announcing soon to file a request to cancel the proceedings, pronounced on September 22.

152,688 euros margin

L'Ere du Peuple, a non-profit association founded in 2015 by followers of Jean-Luc Mélenchon to ensure the logistics of its meetings in particular, had invoiced 440,027 euros to the candidate for rental of rooms or computer equipment and intellectual services of its four employees. The National Campaign Accounts Commission (CNCCFP) noted a difference of 152,688 euros between the salaries paid and the amounts invoiced to the agent. Responsible for validating the reimbursement of candidates' expenses with public money, the commission refused to reimburse the margin made by the People's Era and had reported the facts to justice.

"The era of the people and the employee only applied the provisions of the electoral code which oblige providers to practice market prices", otherwise "it is equivalent to a donation from a legal person which is strictly prohibited », Said Me Croizet, who also defends the association.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon disputes any infringement

The defense maintains that it was required by the electoral code to follow market prices, that it followed the scales of the temping agencies and, failing that, it could have been accused of under-invoicing constituting a disguised gift. The same practice had also been validated by the CNCCFP for legislative 2017, she also argues. "Obviously, the judges have a partial analysis" of the file "which leads to a partial result," said Me Croizet, who wonders about the timing of the new developments in the investigation, six months before the 2022 presidential election.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon disputes any infringement and denounces the "violation of the separation of powers" constituted by this investigation as well as a second judicial investigation, still in progress, concerning the employment of his assistants when he was a member of the European Parliament.

Other LFI officials could be heard by the courts in the coming months.

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  • Fraud

  • Investigation

  • Election campaign

  • Indicted

  • France Insoumise (LFI)

  • Jean-Luc Mélenchon

  • Elections

  • Justice