In its requisitions signed on July 18, the prosecution requests that Alain Gardère, 65, be tried, among other things, for abuse of authority, passive corruption by a public official, illegal taking of interests, embezzlement of public funds and laundering of tax fraud. , according to this source, confirming information from Le Monde.

The deputy prosecutor also requested a trial for fifteen other people, in particular bosses of security companies or the construction industry, a mayor and two former elected officials from the Ile-de-France region.

It is now up to the financial investigating judge Aude Buresi, who is leading this judicial investigation opened in 2015, to decide whether or not to send the sixteen suspects to corrections.

"It's a case that is now old, my client is retired and lives in the provinces," reacted to AFP Me Jean Veil, who defends Mr. Gardère.

Former commissioner close to Nicolas Sarkozy when he was in Beauvau then at the Elysée, Alain Gardère was prefect in charge of security in Marseille in 2011, then at Roissy and Le Bourget airports (2012-2014).

In 2015-2016, he led the National Council for Private Security Activities (Cnaps), under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior.

He is accused of having used his influence to render numerous services in exchange for gifts for him and those around him (luxury restaurants, work, concert tickets, vacations, etc.), especially when he was at the Cnaps.

The former high-ranking civil servant would have, among other things, granted a fictitious job, favored the illegitimate obtaining of approvals for security agents and facilitated the obtaining of security contracts.

During the procedure, Mr. Gardère was indicted in 2016 and then in 2017 for several offenses.

In addition to these benefits and services, the investigation focused on Mr. Gardère's real estate assets and his relationship with Antonio de Sousa, who ran the France Pierre company.

The real estate developer, for whom the prosecution is also asking for a trial, is accused of having granted favors to elected officials from the Ile-de-France region to obtain favorable decisions in terms of town planning and granted advantageous prices to Mr. Gardère in the sale of two apartments. .

© 2022 AFP