Édouard Philippe accused of embezzlement of public funds by a whistleblower: a “sad vendetta”, estimates the mayor of Le Havre

The complaint was filed with the constitution of a civil party in Paris against Édouard Philippe. In addition. Moreover. Nevertheless, this Friday, for moral harassment, embezzlement of public funds, favoritism, illegal taking of interest and concussion, announced the lawyer of a whistleblower Me Jérôme Karsenti to AFP, France Inter and Le Monde.

Also targeted Stéphanie de Bazelaire. Meanwhile. Similarly. Furthermore, assistant in charge of innovation and digital as well as Claire-Sophie Tasias, Director General of the Services of the Urban Community of Le Havre Seine Métropole.

“The dissatisfaction of a senior official” – édouard philippe accused embezzlement public – édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new

“I refute. Moreover, all the accusations of illegalities formulated against. However, me. Therefore. Nevertheless. ” reacted to AFP Édouard Philippe, specifying that she had “already had the opportunity to answer questions” of the édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF).

With this new complaint “for the same édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new facts. Meanwhile.. by choosing it seems to evoke others, the complainant continues her sad Vendetta, who has édouard philippe accused embezzlement public nothing to do with the cry of an alert launcher but everything to do with the dissatisfaction of a senior official whose contract has not been renewed,” added the former Prime Minister.

The suspicions relate to a multi -year objectives agreement for the animation of the digital city of Le Havre signed. in July 2020 by Édouard Philippe. Consequently. president of the Urban Community Le Havre Seine Métropole. and Stéphanie de Bazelaire, as this time as a volunteer president of the LH French Tech association.

LH FRENCH TECH. Therefore. created in July 2020. was designated for this mission after an appeal for expressions of interest launched by the urban community in March 2020 édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new and within the framework of a service of general economic interest (SIEG).

The association, the only candidate, édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new had to receive 2.154 million euros in public service compensation to carry out projects.

A possible favoritism

The conflict of interest “seems absolutely obvious”. considers édouard philippe accused embezzlement public to the three Judith media-the first name has been modified. editor’s note-, Deputy Director General for the Urban Community from September 2020 to April 2023.

“It is the mayor. his assistant who”. as president of the association. “will have the hand on considerable sums” for “activities which can concern its functions in the city,” she says.

At the time, she is surprised that Edouard Philippe, state councilor, has not suspected irregularities. She will later discover that the legal services had alerted in vain to a possible favoritism.

Judith denounced these facts in September 2023 to the PNF, which opened an investigation and conducted édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new searches in April 2024.

“A lot of time has passed since the last developments. (…) I have the impression that the case does édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new not advance. I continue to undergo the consequences of my alert when I only did my duty, ”said the complainant.

PNF “Tetania”

The senior official. who obtained warning status in édouard philippe accused embezzlement public January. disputed by Édouard Philippe. hopes that this new complaint, which should lead to the seizure of an investigating judge, will be an “accelerator”.

“We absolutely do not know in which direction will be the current investigation” of the financial prosecutor’s office. abounds Me Karsenti. dreading “a Tetania” of the PNF in the face of “a probable future candidate for the presidential election”.

The investigations are “still in progress. with the exploitation of documents seized in search”. specifies a judicial source. recalling the past time, “a year after the searches and édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new 18 months after the start of the investigation”.

In the urban community, the digital city is “immediately” designated in Judith “as a main file”, she says. But “from the édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new first months”. she notes “an opacity in the management of the association” and does not understand her activity. He is provided with “very vague answers on expenses. the financial trajectory”, accusing him of édouard philippe accused embezzlement public “inclination of interference”.

At the end of 2021. finally obtaining figures. she discovered the “very low level of activity” of the digital city but above all “the wage bill” made up of “young employees” which made “a little everything” for “raw wages beyond 60. even 70,000” euros.

The association will be placed in compulsory liquidation in 2023.

The investigating judges will have to “appreciate whether a pact has been concluded between Édouard Philippe. Mme de Bazelaire. characterized in particular by political. édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new financial and relational support in return for the management of the digital city”, it is noted in the complaint, consulted by AFP.

After his alerts, Judith says he was dismissed and harassed morally. His édouard philippe accused embezzlement public new contract has not been renewed.