The deputy of France Insoumise of Seine-Saint-Denis Bastien Lachaud was indicted for “illicit loan of labor”, “forgery”, “swindle” and “attempted fraud” in the investigation into the accounts of the presidential campaign of Jean-Luc Mélenchon in 2017, Franceinfo learned Thursday, November 4 from a judicial source, confirming information from Mediapart.
During the 2017 presidential campaign, Bastien Lachaud was the treasurer of the Ere du Peuple association, an association event and communication services. This association was indicted on March 29 for “illicit loan of labor”.
>> Presidential campaign by Jean-Luc Mélenchon: The Era of the People, a small association and big bills
“This judicial information was opened in November 2018, nothing happened for almost three years and strangely, things are accelerating a few months before the presidential election “, reacted with franceinfo the lawyer of Bastien Lachaud, Me Mathieu Croiset.
The lawyer considers that “lThe right is not exclusive of common sense“:”He is an employee who is reproached for having lent himself in an illegal framework of labor.artwork, and to consider that an employee lends himself is completely absurd.” For him, “It is only the dressing of an offense that does not exist. This incrimination is not legally constituted.”
“Regarding the attempted fraud, the Era du Peuple association has not been indicted, and despite everything the employee is. So there is a wobbly imbalance “, continues Me Croiset. “On the merits of the case, we reproach an overbilling or the electoral code specifies that it is necessary to apply market prices”, he ends.
Judicial information was opened at the Paris court in November 2018 on the use of public funds during the last campaign of the leader of the Insoumis.
“The absurd accusations against Bastien Lachaud testify to an empty investigation, artificially kept alive”, reacts La France Insoumise in a press release Thursday. “This indictment decision is absolutely unfounded”, assures the party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, recalling that Bastien Lachaud was not the leader of the association L’Ère du peuple which is implicated in this affair “but an employee on a permanent contract”.
France Insoumise believes that this indictment aims above all to “to question the integrity of Bastien Lachaud” and testifies to a “deliberate desire to damage one’s image and that of the party”. But assure that“No manipulation, nor any relentlessness, will make us deviate from our objective: to win the popular union!” LFI says Bastien Lachaud’s lawyer planned to testify “a motion for nullity in the coming days.”
The National Campaign Accounts Commission (CNCCFP) noted a difference of 152,688 euros between the salaries paid and the amounts invoiced to the agent. Responsible for validating the reimbursement of candidates’ expenses with public money, the commission refused to reimburse the margin made by the association, a non-profit organization, and had reported the facts to justice.
Candidate for the 2022 presidential election, Jean-Luc Mélenchon disputes any infringement in this investigation.