A four-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 80,000 euros was requested on Thursday February 8 against former LR MP Bernard Perrut, a political figure from Beaujolais, who was on trial in Paris in particular for embezzlement of mandate fees.
The 67-year-old elected official appeared before the 32nd criminal chamber for embezzlement of public funds through misuse of his compensation representing office expenses (IRFM), for an amount of approximately 94,000 euros, as well as for breaches of his reporting obligations. vis-à-vis the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP), concerning in particular the value of his assets and life insurance contracts.
Between 2018 and 2019, the HATVP transmitted to the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) around fifteen reports on the use by several parliamentarians, from all sides, of their IRFM.
In the amount of 5,840 euros gross monthly, this
“was intended to cover the various expenses linked to the exercise of their mandate”
and which were not
“directly covered or reimbursed by the Assembly”
.
Among these reports, that of Bernard Perrut, who was deputy for the 9th district of Rhône from 1997 to 2022 and also mayor of Villefranche-sur-Saône between 2008 and 2017. He was on trial for acts committed between March 2015 and June 2017, before the replacement of the IRFM by the advance of mandate fees (AFM) in January 2018.
“Nose in the handlebars”
For three hours, the court tried to obtain clarification on movements made from the bank account into which the IRFM was paid to other accounts of Bernard Perrut.
From 30 euros in jewelry to 65,262 euros transferred for real estate or 40,849 euros for investments, including life insurance, and in the absence of supporting documents,
“how can we check that we are in line with the parliamentary mandate Sir ?"
, the president told him, being surprised by the payments that were sometimes
“erratic”
and sometimes regular.
“I was with my nose to the grindstone”
, monopolized by health problems and the job, said the accused, before explaining that he was
“a little bit messy”
and had acted for
“ease”
to manage his expenses, including the rental without lease of two of its own real estate assets such as its parliamentary offices.
Before March 2015 and the establishment of new rules,
“it was not nothing”
and there was
“progressive supervision”
of the IRFM to
“get out of the vagueness”
, retorts the representative of the PNF, at the origin of the subpoena.
Bernard Perrut,
“a particularly experienced”
and
“wise”
deputy had
“the possibility of setting up a dedicated account and operating in silos”
with
“unequivocal traceability”
, he added in his requisitions, further requesting three-year ineligibility.