France's Dassault Aviation boss to be investigated for criminal conspiracy, lawyers
One of France's wealthiest politicians, billionaire Senator Serge Dassault, of Dassault Aviation, is the subject of an investigation into possible criminal conspiracy lawyers said on Monday.
Issued on:
Serge Dassault was Mayor of Corbeil-Essonnes, just south of Paris from 1995 until 2009.
The new charge against Serge Dassault is linked to allegations that he orchestrated a vote-buying operation in the Paris region in 2009.
A man named Fatah Hou claims Dassault conspired to have him arrested in Morocco to keep him away from France.
Last February, Hou survived an assassination attempt which he says was connected to money that Dassault owed for his role in an alleged vote-buying system.
French investigators are already probing accusations that Dassault paid voters from poor areas of Corbeil-Essonnes to cast ballots for his successor as Mayor in 2009.
A court is to decide on Wednesday whether to lift Dassault's parliamentary immunity. If that happens he could be taken into custody for questioning.
Dassault, who also owns the French right wing newspaper Le Figaro, denies all the charges and insists he is a victim of blackmail by a gang of petty criminals.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe