Rachida Dati, France’s ambitious culture minister who is aiming to become mayor of Paris, has been accused of failing to disclose luxury jewellery and watches worth more than 400,000 euros, reports The Times.
Libération, the French newspaper, said that the items had been bought for her by Henri Proglio, the former chief executive of EDF, the French energy company, with whom she is rumoured to have had an affair.
French ministers have a duty to provide a statement of their wealth upon taking office, declaring funds, shares, property, cars and other belongings including paintings, antique furniture and horses. The Higher Authority for Transparency in Public Life, an independent agency for standards and integrity, says the declaration must also include jewels worth more than 10,000 euros per item.
Libération said that Dati, a Moroccan bricklayer’s daughter who rose to become one of France’s most high-profile politicians, had omitted to mention 19 pieces of jewellery and watches worth a total of 420,000 euros.
These included a Chopard watch worth 32,000 euros, a gold and diamond Bulgari bracelet with a value of 28,900 euros, a Repossi bracelet, also gold and diamond, worth 36,000 euros and gold and platinum Cartier rings worth 68,500 euros, the leftwing daily said. It said that Dati had declared personal wealth of 5.6 million euros in property, life insurance and savings.
Read more of this report from The Times.