The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office requests a trial for corruption against Rachida Dati and Carlos Ghosn

The current Minister of Culture is suspected of having received 900,000 euros from RNBV, a subsidiary of the Renault-Nissan alliance, without compensation for real work, between 2010 and 2012.

The former Minister of Justice soon in court? The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday requested a trial, notably corruption and influence peddling, before the criminal court against the Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, and the former boss of the Renault-Nissan automobile group Carlos Ghosn, the ministry announced public Friday November 15.

Rachida Dati is suspected of having received 900,000 euros from RNBV, a subsidiary of the Renault-Nissan alliance, without compensation for real work, between 2010 and 2012, while she was a lawyer and European MP (2009 -2019). The investigations also sought to determine whether this fee agreement could have been used to hide lobbying activity in the European Parliament, prohibited to any elected official.

In this case, Carlos Ghosn, who lives in Lebanon, has been the subject of an international arrest warrant since April 2023. He risks a trial for “abuse of power by a company director”, “breach of trust”, “active corruption and influence peddling”, in a case in which the Renault company has become a civil party. The former automobile magnate and the Minister of Culture deny any irregularity. The mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris further considers these prescribed facts and has already increased the number of appeals in this regard to put an end to the proceedings. In vain.

“An indictment is only the prosecution’s vision of a case. It is not a reflection of reality”Rachida Dati’s lawyers reacted to AFP. “A legal deadline now opens during which we will respond point by point to counter this fragmented and inaccurate vision”assured Olivier Baratelli and Olivier Pardo.

The final decision on whether to hold a possible trial rests with the investigating judges responsible for the case. The PNF specifies that an appeal must still be studied by the investigating chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal.