The PS mayor of Brest François Cuillandre, 67, will be tried in correctional court for concealment of breach of trust as part of the investigation into the compensation of elected socialist officials in the city, we learned on Wednesday from a source close to investigation.
“
There are sufficient charges justifying the referral of François Cuillandre to the criminal court on the counts of concealment of
breach of trust”, writes the examining magistrate in an order dated January 16, of which AFP obtained a copy.
The case began on April 11, 2018 after the publication of several articles in the regional daily Le Télégramme, evoking possible embezzlement committed by the association Vivre à Brest.
This association, which published the newspaper of elected PS members of the municipal council, received the allowances directly from the municipal treasury of Brest, before paying them to the elected officials, within the framework of a pooling system.
Income received thanks to the association
The president of the association Alain Masson, who died in November 2020, however continued to receive his allowances, while having received 485,955 euros from the association from 2007 to 2018. "
This income appeared to have been hidden from the tax
authorities ", points out the judge.
As for François Cuillandre, although not participating in the compensation equalization system either, the investigation showed that he had received 46,000 euros from the association between January 2007 and November 2016, in particular reimbursements of campaign expenses.
François Cuillandre had justified himself during the investigation by saying that he had been a major contributor to the association in the past, to the tune of 100,000 euros between 1989 and 2000, and had considered it normal that the association reimburse him for sums committed for the benefit of all elected socialists, according to the ordinance.
He had also received 9,000 euros in advance or loans, including 4,000 euros intended to finance the professional activity of his son, according to the order.
Indicted in October 2019, François Cuillandre has always denied having committed an offense.
Read alsoThe editorial of Figaro Magazine: ““Qatargate”, from morality to corruption”
“François
Cuillandre could not ignore that Vivre à Brest was not an organization intended to distribute loans, nor to grant advances even though it did not participate in the pooling system
”, underlines the judge.
"
By accepting these advances and loans, he knowingly harbored funds which were diverted from their destination by those who were depositaries
", she adds, referring to a "
diversion of the association's funds for personal purposes
".
The public action is extinguished against two other indicted, the president and the treasurer of the association, both deceased.
Contacted, the town hall of Brest did not communicate immediately.