Latest news with #Dati
Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
France's culture minister to be tried on corruption charges
France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati is to go on trial accused of corruption and abuse of power while she was a European Parliament member, a judicial source told AFP on Tuesday. Dati, a high-profile minister who holds ambitions to become Paris mayor next year, was placed under investigation in 2019 on suspicion she lobbied for the Renault-Nissan car group while at the European Union institution. French investigating magistrates also ordered that Carlos Ghosn, the former Renault-Nissan chairman and chief executive, be tried, a judicial source said. Ghosn, 71, who has been living in Lebanon for years after escaping arrest in Japan, has rejected the charges against him. Dati, 59, also denies the allegations, and lashed out at some of the investigating magistrates on her case, accusing them of "trampling" on her rights. "I condemn magistrates who refuse to do their job according to the code of procedure," she told news channel LCI, denouncing what she called a case "marred by incidents". "I will not give up, on anything," added Dati, who is mayor of the French capital's seventh district, home to most French ministries, the country's parliament and many foreign embassies. Dati is accused of accepting 900,000 euros ($1 million) in lawyer's fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan, but not working for them, while she was an MEP from 2009 to 2019. Her lawyers told AFP they would appeal the decision to place her on trial. Dati, a daughter of working-class North African immigrants, has accused enemies of "trying to attack me over my private life". A powerful political player who was justice minister under right-wing leader Nicolas Sarkozy from 2007 to 2009, Dati will remain in the government, said an associate of President Emmanuel Macron. "The president has taken note of the decision to refer Rachida Dati to the criminal court. As a referral is not a conviction, she will continue her work," said the associate, speaking on condition of anonymity. Investigations have sought to determine whether she carried out banned lobbying for the carmaker at the European Parliament. Initially placed under the more favourable status of assisted witness — a step before being indicted — in 2019, Dati was charged in 2021.
Ya Biladi
10 hours ago
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Rachida Dati and Carlos Ghosn to stand trial for corruption and influence peddling
After a six-year investigation, Rachida Dati and Carlos Ghosn will face trial. On Tuesday, July 22, two investigating judges ordered them to stand trial on charges of corruption, influence peddling, and breach of trust, according to Le Monde. At the time in question, Rachida Dati was serving as a Member of the European Parliament. Between 2010 and 2012, she received €900,000 in fees from Renault-Nissan, routed through its Dutch subsidiary. Dati maintains the payments were for legal services she provided to the group. However, investigators are questioning the legitimacy of the work she claims to have performed. France's financial prosecutor has described the payments as «disproportionate and undue», and considers the contract «a legal front used to conceal the corrupt arrangement». Carlos Ghosn, then CEO of Renault-Nissan, has defended the decision to hire Dati, calling her «an asset for Renault in brand promotion and business diplomacy efforts in Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, and Iran». He claims it was Dati who «offered her services» to the company. The former French justice minister denies any wrongdoing. She told investigators her work was legitimate: «I had a legal contract with Renault-Nissan for work in non-EU countries. My mission was in no way affected by debates in the European Parliament», she said, adding, «A lawyer cannot be a lobbyist». However, the judges found a clear conflict of interest, noting that Dati «never informed» the European Parliament of her private consultancy, despite speaking publicly on automotive-related topics during her term. Despite being referred for trial, Dati remains in her government post. A source close to President Emmanuel Macron stated, «A referral is not a conviction, she continues her duties». The first court hearing is scheduled for late September. Dati, who is also running for mayor of Paris, faces the possibility of a disqualification sentence. Carlos Ghosn, meanwhile, remains in Lebanon. Subject to international arrest warrants, he told Le Monde: «If I were allowed to leave Lebanese territory, any country would arrest me and hand me over to Japanese authorities». He added, «I'm the man they want to bring down».
Local France
15 hours ago
- Business
- Local France
France's culture minister to be tried for corruption
Dati, a 59-year-old who holds ambitions to become Paris mayor next year, was charged in 2019 on suspicions she lobbied for the Renault-Nissan carmaking group while at the European Union institution. She denies the allegations. Dati is accused of accepting €900,000 in lawyer's fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan, but not really working for them, while she was an MEP from 2009 to 2019. Investigations have sought to determine whether she was in fact lobbying in the European Parliament for the carmaker, an activity that is forbidden. Advertisement French investigating magistrates also ordered that Carlos Ghosn, the ex-tycoon of Renault-Nissan, be tried, the judicial source said. The 71-year-old, who has been living in Lebanon for years after escaping arrest in Japan, has also rejected the charges against him. A hearing on September 29th will decide on the date of the trial, the source said. According to another source following the case, the trial could be held after the Paris municipal elections, which will be held in March next year. Dati, a daughter of working-class North African immigrants, has repeatedly sought without success to have the charges against her quashed. She is a right-winger who served in Nicolas Sarkozy's government but has recently been brought back into government as culture minister under the centrist François Bayrou. Ghosn, the former chairman and chief executive of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board in a unanimous decision. He jumped bail late the following year and made a dramatic escape from Japan hidden in an audio-equipment box, landing in Beirut, where he remains as an international fugitive. Both Japan and France have sought his arrest.
MTV Lebanon
15 hours ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
France's Culture Minister to Be Tried on Corruption Charges
France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati is to go on trial accused of corruption and abuse of power while she was a member of European Parliament, a judicial source told AFP Tuesday. Dati, a 59-year-old who holds ambitions to become Paris mayor next year, was charged in 2019 on suspicions she lobbied for the Renault-Nissan carmaking group while at the European Union institution. She denies the allegations. Dati is accused of accepting 900,000 euros ($1.06 million at current rates) in lawyer's fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan, but not really working for them, while she was an MEP from 2009 to 2019. Investigations have sought to determine whether she was in fact lobbying in the European Parliament for the carmaker, an activity that is forbidden. French investigating magistrates also ordered that Carlos Ghosn, the ex-tycoon of Renault-Nissan, be tried, the judicial source said. The 71-year-old, who has been living in Lebanon for years after escaping arrest in Japan, has also rejected the charges against him. A hearing on September 29 will decide on the date of the trial, the source said. According to another source following the case, the trial could be held after the Paris municipal elections, which will be held in March next year. Dati, a daughter of working-class North African immigrants, has repeatedly sought without success to have the charges against her quashed. Ghosn, the former chairman and chief executive of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board in a unanimous decision. He jumped bail late the following year and made a dramatic escape from Japan hidden in an audio-equipment box, landing in Beirut, where he remains as an international fugitive. Both Japan and France have sought his arrest.
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First Post
15 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati to stand trial for corruption and lobbying
Dati, a high-profile minister who hopes to become mayor of Paris next year, was investigated in 2019 on suspicion of lobbying for the Renault-Nissan auto firm while working at the European Union agency read more France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati is to go on trial accused of receiving payments from Renault-Nissan while she was a member of European Parliament. File image/AFP Rachida Dati, France's Culture Minister, will face trial on charges of corruption and abuse of authority as a member of the European Parliament, a court source told AFP on Tuesday. Dati, a high-profile minister who hopes to become mayor of Paris next year, was investigated in 2019 on suspicion of lobbying for the Renault-Nissan auto firm while working at the European Union agency. Dati, aged 59, denies the allegations. She did not return an AFP request for comment. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We will appeal this decision today,' Dati's lawyers, Olivier Baratelli and Olivier Pardo, told AFP. Dati, a daughter of working-class North African immigrants, was defiant. 'I will lead you to victory. Some people are trying to attack me over my private life, over many aspects that are collateral to my candidacy,' said Dati, who is mayor of the French capital's 7th district that is home to most French ministries, the country's parliament and many foreign embassies. 'I am not afraid of anything or anyone.' Dati, who served as justice minister under right-wing leader Nicolas Sarkozy from 2007 to 2009, will continue in office, according to a Macron colleague. 'The president has taken note of the decision to refer Rachida Dati to the criminal court. As a referral is not a conviction, she will continue her work,' said the associate, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Dati is suspected of taking 900,000 euros in lawyer's fees from a Renault-Nissan company in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2012 while not working for them throughout her tenure as an MEP from 2009 to 2019. 'Until the end' Investigations have sought to determine whether she carried out banned lobbying for the carmaker at the European Parliament. In their order signed on Tuesday, a copy of which was seen by AFP, the investigating magistrates said that Dati's activities in parliament 'amounts to lobbying', which 'appears incompatible with both her mandate and the profession of lawyer.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Initially placed under the more favourable status of assisted witness – a step before being indicted – in 2019, Dati was charged in 2021. She has since repeatedly sought to have the charges quashed. French investigating magistrates also ordered that Carlos Ghosn, the former Renault-Nissan chairman and chief executive, be tried, the judicial source said. The 71-year-old, who has been living in Lebanon for years after escaping arrest in Japan, has also rejected the charges against him. A hearing on September 29 will decide on the date of the trial, the source said. According to another source following the case, the trial could be held after the Paris municipal elections in March next year. 'She will go until the end,' Jean-Pierre Lecoq, mayor of the French capital's 6th district and one of Dati's close associates, said on Tuesday. Ghosn, who headed the Renault-Nissan alliance, was arrested in Japan in November 2018 on suspicion of financial misconduct, before being sacked by Nissan's board. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He jumped bail the following year and made a dramatic escape from Japan hidden in an audio-equipment box, landing in Beirut, where he remains as an international fugitive. Japan and France have sought his arrest. Ghosn's lawyers did not respond to a request for comment.
