France’s former prime minister Francois Fillon faces further trouble with the judiciary after a conviction for the fictitious employment of his wife.
Authorities initiated a preliminary investigation against the former presidential candidate in 2017 on suspicion of hiring a parliamentary employee to write a book on his behalf, broadcaster RTL and other media reported on Friday.
The book, which was published by Fillon, sold well. The probes focus on whether he was allowed to reap financial rewards while using a tax-funded employee as a writer. It has not yet been decided whether the matter will be brought to court or thrown out.
Fillon was sentenced to five years in prison last June, three of which were suspended. For years he had employed his wife as a parliamentary assistant, without her remuneration being in proportion to her actual activities, the court ruled.
Fillon appealed the verdict, and a new hearing is due to take place in November.
Fillon has been a minister several times since 1993. Between 2007 and 2012 he was head of government under then-president Nicolas Sarkozy.
