French prosecutors have beneficial placing conservative ex-presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and 26 different National Rally (RN) celebration members on trial over the alleged embezzlement of EU funds.
The prosecutors allege that, between 2004 to 2016, the cash allotted to cowl bills of European Parliament members was used to pay for assistants who, in actuality, labored for RN, recognized till 2018 as National Front (FN).
Le Pen’s father and celebration co-founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, was additionally implicated within the scheme. Overall, 11 MEPs, 12 parliamentary assistants and 4 different staffers had been referred to trial.
If convicted, Le Pen would face as much as 10 years in jail and a ban to carry public workplace for a similar interval, in accordance with AFP.
The European Anti-Fraud Office reported in 2016 that Le Pen owed €339,000 ($361,000). According to her lawyer, Rodolphe Bosselut, the politician paid again nearly €330,000 in July. The cost, nevertheless, “does not in any way constitute explicit or implicit recognition of the European Parliament’s claims,” Bosselut stated, as quoted by AFP.
Le Pen has denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the allegations towards her had been politically motivated. The celebration launched a press release on Friday, saying that the accusations stemmed from “an erroneous understanding of the work of opposition lawmakers and their assistants.”
Le Pen got here second throughout presidential elections in 2017 and 2022, dropping to Emmanuel Macron. She stepped down as celebration president final 12 months, however continues to steer the RN group within the French National Assembly.
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