Patrick Balkany, former LR mayor of Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine), was heard last Thursday in free hearing at the Economic Crime Suppression Brigade (BRDE), as part of a new investigation into its municipal management , learned this Friday, February 3, AFP from sources familiar with the matter, confirmed by the Nanterre prosecution.
This new investigation, opened in 2016 for concealment of embezzlement of public funds and then for embezzlement of public funds and illegal taking of interest, relates to the situation of an adviser to the former city councilor. The latter, Renaud Guillot-Corail, died in 2020. He was employed by the municipality of Levallois as director of economic development until October 2012, before retiring. After his retirement, he continued to receive remuneration.
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The investigators thus suspect him of having benefited from concealment of embezzlement of public funds, organized by the mayor Patrick Balkany, through an association. Renaud Guillot-Corail would have received more than 300,000 euros, specifies a source close to the file.
Pursued by two other cases
The preliminary investigation was therefore gradually extended to include heads of embezzlement of public funds and illegal taking of interest, until the free hearing of Patrick Balkany on Thursday. “We dispute any infringement. The timing of this investigation alone demonstrates its weakness”reacted to AFP the lawyers of the former mayor of Levalloi-Perret, Romain Dieudonné and Robin Binsard. “Why come in 2023 to investigate such old facts and for which the main person concerned died? Move along, nothing to see ! »they assured.
The former flagship city of Levallois, a wealthy town of 64,000 inhabitants located west of Paris, is not on his first legal adventure. The man who was recently convicted of laundering tax evasion is also being prosecuted in two other cases in Nanterre, including the so-called “drivers”for which he was indicted in July 2020 for “embezzlement of public property or funds by a person holding public authority”.
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In this investigation, closed since April 2021 and pending requisitions from the prosecution, he is accused of having used municipal police officers as drivers and vehicles for private purposes. Patrick Balkany has also been prosecuted since February 2021 for ” misuse of corporate assets “, “illegal taking of interests” and “embezzlement of public funds”, suspected of having fraudulently used a building belonging to the city of Levallois. Judicial investigation still in progress.
