Prosecutors announced on Friday that an official probe had been opened into claims that presidential candidate Francois Fillon paid his wife hundreds of thousands of euros to serve as his parliamentary assistant, a job she may never have performed. French media investigations have found no evidence that Penelope Fillon did any government work. Fillon herself has also denied ever having worked as an aide to her husband, Farnce24 reported. “I have never been actually his assistant or anything like that,” she told the Telegraph in 2007.
Prosecutors said in a statement that the investigation will focus on whether Fillon embezzled public funds or misappropriated corporate assets. The prosecutor’s decision to advance the case deals a serious blow to Fillon whose former status as the favorite to win the April-May presidential elections has plummeted because of the scandal now known as “Penelopegate” after his British wife’s first name. Fillon has denied the allegations. Lawyers for the couple said they had no doubt that their clients would eventually be exonerated.
