PARIS – French authorities yesterday searched the home and offices of the wealth manager of France’s richest woman, a police source said – the latest twist in a saga that has rocked President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government.
Police are investigating whether L’Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt and her late husband made illegal donations to conservative politicians for the 2007 election campaign.
The inquiry was ordered after Claire Thibout, the former bookkeeper of Liliane Bettencourt, alleged she had routinely withdrawn cash destined for illegal donations at the request of Patrice de Maistre, who managed Ms Bettencourt’s fortune.
Authorities searched Mr de Maistre’s home and offices yesterday. “When you have an investigation of this size, several investigations, this type of search is not surprising,” Mr de Maistre’s lawyer, Pascal Wilhelm, said.
The French weekly magazine Mariannesaid yesterday, citing the former bookkeeper's ledgers, that more than €390,000 in cash had been withdrawn from Ms Bettencourt's account in the four months before the 2007 election.
Chantal Trovel, the former private secretary of Ms Bettencourt’s late husband, confirmed to police that envelopes of cash had been given to politicians, according to her lawyer, who is also acting for Ms Thibout. – (Reuters)