France’s far-right chief faces corruption investigation.

The Paris prosecutors’ office opened an investigation into the campaign financing of far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s presidential bid in 2022.

The probe, which follows a preliminary inquiry, was opened last week over suspicions of embezzlement, forgery, fraud and a candidate on an election campaign accepting a loan, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to POLITICO.

In 2022, Le Pen — then making her third attempt to win the French presidency as National Rally leader — got 41 percent of the vote in the second round, losing to incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.

    • Hubi
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      5 months ago

      I really would’ve never expected one of Putins closest allies to be involved in corruption somehow. Baffling.

    • mozz@mbin.grits.dev
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      5 months ago

      Also authoritarians: I didn’t mean THAT kind of law and order. I’m exempt! Don’t you hear me? I’m exempt! Let go of me!

    • SkybreakerEngineer@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Fun fact: the US Marine Corps earned the nickname “devil dogs” from the Germans for their actions on D-day.
      I say this because Le Pen’s name is appropriate given this further evidence of how she is a demonic bitch.

      • rayyy@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        Meet one of the original devil dogs. He virtually, single handedly, defeated fascism in 1933. Of course it isn’t in history books, because the rich control the news.

        “…a n organized conspiracy to overthrow the US government but it was not one hatched by a secretive Moscow-directed Communist cell. HUAC’s initial alarm was focused on a plot bankrolled by the owners of major US corporations — including Goodyear, US Steel, JP Morgan, Heinz, and Maxwell House.”

        • AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          Holy shit! They tried to get Smedley “I could teach Al Capone a thing or two,” Butler to lead the business plot‽‽‽

          I’m dying laughing, imagining how that exchange went down.

          “You want me to what‽‽‽ Get your ass over here, cause I’m gonna kick it into the ICU!”

    • EfreetSK@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      This was absolutely unexpected and I’m shocked aswell. I’m certain her supporters will be deeply touched by this and will now turn their backs on her

    • d00phy@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Yeah, what kind of ass-backward dumpwater lets that happen!? Third-world-problems, amiright?

  • Synapse@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Her party is also under investigation for embezzlement of public funds from the UE parliament.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    5 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    The probe, which follows a preliminary inquiry, was opened last week over suspicions of embezzlement, forgery, fraud and a candidate on an election campaign accepting a loan, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to POLITICO.

    It follows a report from the national committee scrutinizing campaign spending (the CNCCFP) which alerted the Paris prosecutor’s office.

    “I’m very surprised because our campaign expenses were approved in December 2022 and refunded in February 2023,” said an unnamed official from the National Rally, speaking to AFP.

    In September, Le Pen is also set to go on trial along with 24 other people over alleged misuse of EU funds, after a seven-year investigation into allegations that the National Rally used public funds, which were meant for EU parliamentary assistants, to pay party staff.

    According to Libération, Le Pen herself faces accusations of embezzlement of public funds and risks a fine and up to 10 years in jail.

    Le Pen’s National Rally was also fined in 2023 for misuse of company assets, following an investigation into the over-billing of party campaign kits during the 2012 parliamentary election.


    The original article contains 457 words, the summary contains 178 words. Saved 61%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!