Frédéric Chatillon, who runs a company that provides services for Le Pen's Front National party, has been placed under formal investigation for fraud, misuse of corporate assets, laundering the proceeds of the misuse of corporate assets, forgery and use of false instruments. Chatillon, who was held in custody for 48 hours, is an old friend of Marine Le Pen and the former head of an extreme-right student organisation. The allegations stem from an investigation into the financing of the far-right party's local election campaign in 2011, parliamentary elections in 2012 and the presidential campaign in the same year. Marine Le Pen says she is “not legally involved” in the affair.
A friend and ally of far-right Front National leader Marine Le Pen has been investigated by the fraud squad over his business dealings. No prosecution took place but the investigation did unveil the financial links between Frédéric Chatillon – whose firm helped Le Pen's recent presidential election campaign - and the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. For his part Chatillon claims the top secret investigation was politically motivated. Karl Laske and Marine Turchi report.
