Philippe Tabarot, the Minister of Transport, is under preliminary investigation for alleged embezzlement of public funds. Initiated by the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life, the inquiry examines his roles in the public interest group for tourism and culture, and his communications position in Cannet, where his sister was mayor. Authorities conducted searches at his home and associated offices. Tabarot maintains his innocence, citing prior investigations that affirmed his work’s legitimacy, while also detailing his significant earnings in public service.
Philippe Tabarot Under Investigation for Embezzlement
Philippe Tabarot, the Minister of Transport, is currently facing a preliminary investigation regarding allegations of embezzlement of public funds and unlawful interests. This inquiry was initiated following a report by the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life (HATVP) back in July 2021. A judicial source confirmed this development on Monday, echoing reports from various media outlets.
Details of the Investigation
The national financial prosecutor’s office (PNF) has also opened an investigation into the concealment of these alleged offenses. The focus of the inquiry pertains to the roles that Mr. Tabarot held within the public interest group (GIP) for tourism and culture, as well as his communication position in the municipality of Cannet from 2018 to 2020. Notably, Cannet was led by his sister, Michèle Tabarot, who served as an LR deputy from 1995 to 2017.
On November 30, 2022, authorities conducted a search at Mr. Tabarot’s residence, as well as at the offices of the Cannet town hall and the GIP of Cannet. The judicial source affirmed that the preliminary investigation remains active.
In response to the allegations, Mr. Tabarot defended himself during a press conference on Monday, stating that this was an issue from four years ago with no recent developments. He further insisted that the initial investigations, which took place over two years ago and have already been reported on, confirmed the legitimacy of his work. He noted that he has not been questioned since those investigations.
According to his declaration of interests dated November 30, 2020, Mr. Tabarot served as the director of the GIP from April 2018 to July 2020, earning a net salary of 82,473 euros in 2019, which amounts to nearly 6,900 euros per month. Following that, he received 17,997 euros net between August and November 2020 as a project manager for the GIP focused on tourism and culture in Cannet. Additionally, he earned 15,318 euros as a communication officer for the municipality in 2019, approximately 1,276 euros per month. During this period, he also held a position as vice-president in charge of transport for the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, where he earned around 40,000 euros net annually from 2015 to 2021. His total declared income for 2019 amounted to 137,872 euros net.
Philippe Tabarot, who was elected as an LR senator for Alpes-Maritimes in September 2020, is recognized for his expertise in the transport sector. He has previously advocated for a regulatory framework concerning the right to strike in the railway sector in anticipation of the Olympic Games and has taken a strong stance on security issues. While serving on the regional council, the 54-year-old Cannet resident was involved in the privatization of the TER line connecting Marseille and Nice, a process that was awarded to the Transdev group in 2021, which sparked significant dissatisfaction among unions. This marked a notable first in France.