One year in prison and three more suspended sentences were requested on Wednesday October 16, 2024 against a former executive of the city of La Roche-sur-Yon, who was on trial for “influence peddling” and “violation of freedom of access or equality of candidates in public procurement” when he worked as head of department at Nantes Métropole in 2009 and 2010.
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Philippe X. – now aged 63 and who lives in Divatte-sur-Loire (Loire-Atlantique) – had been on trial for three days by the Nantes criminal court alongside several managers of companies in the sanitation sector or specializing in the installation of wastewater collectors and rainwater. Some were based in Cachan (Val-de-Marne) or Cergy-Pontoise (Val-d’Oise): he had known them when he worked in the departments of Hauts-de-Seine and Val-d’Oise, then in “two town halls“from Île-de-France.
Stephen X – who lives in Saint-Aignan-de-Grand-Lieu (Loire-Atlantique) and who directs the National Society for Studies and Coordination (SNEC) in Rezé – is accused, for example, of having “falsified invoices“as part of”fictitious markets” to cover up the actions. Eddy X, a former resident of La Haye-Fouassière (Loire-Atlantique), allegedly took part in a “unlawful agreement“by presenting a”cover application intended to give a misleading appearance of legality“.
Alainhostess bars“, but also of “restaurant“: the former works director of the town of La Roche-sur-Yon was having lunch”every month” with him when he worked at Nantes Métropole.
Philippefictitious analysis of offers“which were submitted to him by candidates for public contracts, according to the accusation. He was thus able to surrender”in a cork bar with sexual services in Poland” or attend international rugby matches in Dublin (Ireland) and Edinburgh (Scotland), it was said at the start of the three-day trial.
But this territorial engineer who entered Nantes Métropole in 2004 was denounced on January 31, 2012 by the “anonymous mail“of a”collective of civil servants still not resigned“who could not be identified by the Nantes judicial police investigators: he reported”dubious practices bordering on real racketeering“.
At the same time, PhilippeI just don’t“to be”more precise” in its offer analysis reports. This official “negligent“, according to one of his colleagues, had the habit of “not to motivate“in writing his choices: he simply gave orally”unverifiable elements” to elected officials when the file went to committee.
In the end, he never had any disciplinary sanction: he had in the meantime applied to the town of La Roche-sur-Yon and had been taken by the former team of Pierre Regnault (PS). Nearly €38,400 was later found in the safe of a bank in Les Sables d’Olonne but this sum of money was the result of “sale of Aston Martin parts“according to the person concerned. According to the prosecution, Philippe Marty would also have cashed in”€89,193 in cash“.
His career at La Roche-sur-Yon, however, was cut short: a “restructuring“was engaged in 2015 following the”change in political governance” after the victory of Luc Bouard (Horizons).”The Director General of Services has been changed to someone who better fits the political color [du nouveau maire, ndlr] and a certain number of executives were kindly thanked“, Philip X recounted on the first day of his trial. “I ended up with a desk next to the toilets.“
This “placardisation“had pushed him in”depression“but the town of La Roche-sur-Yon had refused to make a cause and effect link, considering that the illness was rather due to his indictment for “influence peddling” in his previous functions.
Unknown to the courts at the time of the events, the main defendant has since been convicted of “passive influence peddling“having accepted”an electronic toll and gas card“of a society”working regularly on public markets“. Since then, Philippe X has been the subject of a tax audit and had to “sell your house” to pay the €265,000 of undeclared income and penalties added by the tax authorities.
During these “twelve years of proceedings“marked by”a false accusation” on “the basis of hearsay and assumptions“what a great service”bothered“in reality the urban community of Nantes, its lawyer is convinced.”I don’t know if he had any information, but this disciplinary procedure was intended to make him leave. Nantes Metropolis did not communicate it to La Roche-sur-Yon: she simply wanted to get rid of him. They want us to believe that he had monumental power when in reality he no longer had control over markets above €20,000.“
Philippeaccepted weekends“with his working relationships but he has”always kept his independence“when deciding on the award of public contracts, according to her.”It is said that he lost his freedom and was still indebted, but on the basis of what???“, asked his lawyer, who pleaded for his release. “I am a victim of the system” supported his client, whotheoretically faces up to ten years of imprisonment and €150,000 in fines, at the close of the debates. The Nantes criminal court will deliver its judgment in two months.
