Madame Le Pen and a secret Swiss bank account

By and

Jany Le Pen, wife of the founder of France's far-right Front National party, Jean-Marie Le Pen, has held a secret bank account in Switzerland, according to information obtained by Mediapart. That brings to three the number of hidden Swiss accounts associated with Jean-Marie Le Pen, and France's special prosecutor for financial fraud is now understood to be investigating the former FN president's financial affairs in Switzerland. The affair also throws the spotlight on socialite Jany Le Pen, Jean-Marie's second wife, to whom he has been married for 24 years. Though she usually steers clear of party political issues, Jany Le Pen has on occasions acted as the FN founder's de facto emissary. Karl Laske and Marine Turchi look at the new allegations and examine the profile of a woman who has shared Jean-Marie Le Pen's life for more than a quarter of a century.

Reading articles is for subscribers only. Subscribe now.

Jany Le Pen, the wife of Front National founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, has herself held a secret Swiss bank account, according to information obtained by Mediapart. This follows revelations that Jean-Marie Le Pen had a bank account opened for him at UBS bank in Switzerland in the 1980s and was the economic beneficiary of a Swiss-based trust held in his butler's name which had an account at HSBC bank. Mediapart also understands that the special prosecutor's office for financial fraud, the Parquet National Financier (PNF), has now taken over the investigation into the claims that Jean-Marie Le Pen has hidden financial assets in Switzerland over the years. Le Pen himself has said little publicly about the allegations, and has not denied the revelations concerning the trust. “I don't have to explain myself over what anyone says about me, in particular para-police organs in charge of spreading disruption among the political classes,” he commented last month.

1 euro fifteen days

Read more with a subscription priced just 1€ Subscribe