McKinsey scandal: investigation opened in France for aggravated laundering of tax fraud
McKinsey SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett - SOPA Images
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The National Financial Prosecutor's Office opened a preliminary investigation for aggravated laundering of tax evasion on March 31 following accusations by a Senate commission of inquiry into the influence of private consulting firms on public policies, announces the National Financial Prosecutor in a press release this Wednesday, April 6.
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The investigation opened by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) follows the publication in mid-March of a parliamentary report.
The Senate commission of inquiry, initiated by a small group with a communist majority, assures that the amount of contracts concluded by the State with consulting firms, including McKinsey, more than doubled between 2018 and 2021, thus going from just under 400 million to a billion euros in just three years.
“
We assume.
The State has always had recourse to consulting firms since the beginning of the 2000s. Valérie Pécresse implemented the university reform law by relying on consulting firms.
On the right as on the left, they lead local authorities who have recourse to them
, ”said the Minister of Public Accounts Olivier, Dussopt on Radio J the same day.
►Also read:
France:
the Senate denounces excessive use of consulting firms by the State
Another point of this report, the French entities of the American company would have benefited from tax optimization.
They would thus have paid no corporate tax between 2011 and 2020.
McKinsey defends itself: one of its subsidiaries has paid its share, according to the firm, during this period.
The national financial prosecutor's office entrusted the opening of an investigation to the judicial financial investigation service, a tool created three years ago, to better fight against tax evasion.
In the middle of the presidential campaign, the political opposition to the Head of State Emmanuel Macron have repeatedly asked for the opening of an investigation into what they consider to be favoritism which the majority would show, for the benefit of this consulting firm , some of whose members were able to work for the president's camp, especially during the 2017 presidential election.
"
If there is evidence of manipulation, let it go to the criminal
court," Emmanuel Macron retorted on March 27 to those who blame him for these numerous contracts.
►
To read also: Campaign diary: the Macron camp embarrassed by the McKinsey affair
(With AFP)
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Justice
French politics
Emmanuel Macron
Presidential France 2022