Authorities release French mayor after police custody in embezzlement investigation
(MENAFN) Lyon Mayor Gregory Doucet was released on Wednesday following police custody as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged embezzlement of public funds, according to a report. Doucet, a member of the Greens party, was questioned by the Financial Crimes Office.
The Lyon municipality, as reported, explained the situation by stating, "The mayor of Lyon is being questioned as a representative of the local authority in a standard stage of the investigation, in order to explain how the city operates and to defend the legality of the decisions taken."
The Lyon Public Prosecutor's Office initiated the probe in February 2024 under an article concerning "embezzlement of public funds by persons vested with public authority." The case centers around the alleged illegal hiring of 24 special advisors between 2016 and 2023, which is believed to have exceeded the legal limit of 12 staff and potentially constituted a misappropriation of public funds.
The Regional Chamber of Accounts (CRC) had previously raised concerns about this issue in a report targeting the Lyon city administration last September, questioning the roles of the 24 staff members. A report stated, “These special advisors…were hired with the involvement of deputy mayors and often outside the legal framework. They performed duties akin to those of mayoral cabinet staff, rather than administrative activities.”
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