Philippe Martin, former minister of François Hollande, left the presidency of the departmental council of Gers, following being sentenced on Tuesday to two years in prison for embezzlement of public funds, his cabinet announced Thursday, January 6. Also declared ineligible for three years, Philippe Martin presented his resignation on Tuesday evening, but it had not been made public.
In a written statement released Thursday, the one who had been minister of ecology, sustainable development and energy in the government of Jean-Marc Ayrault, between July 2013 and April 2014, expressed his “Sadness” from “To have to leave this presidency in particular circumstances which leave a bitter taste, and on which [il] does not wish to return “. The former member of the Gers (Socialist Party), between 2002 and 2017, also expresses his ” pride “ from “Projects” engaged in this southwestern department.
Philippe Martin was sentenced in Paris for having paid his ex-wife, Joëlle Martin, for a fictitious job of parliamentary assistant between 2002 and 2013.
Anonymous denunciation
The former couple might not provide “No material trace” of M’s workme Martin, who had “No material made available” ni “No contact with the other assistants, who were not aware” of his job, underlined the financial prosecutor Sébastien de La Touanne during their appearance before the 32e chamber of the judicial tribunal of Paris. They kept a “Total discretion on this hiring”, he added. Mr. Martin had thus omitted to declare it to the High Authority for the transparency of public life (HATVP).
If there has been “Personal enrichment with public funds”, the two defendants nevertheless “Testified to a certain capacity for amendment”, underlined the other representative of the public prosecutor Aurélien Létocart, justifying the suspended prison sentence, in “Perfect consistency” with other similar files.
In solidarity with his ex-wife – sentenced to six months’ probation for complicity and concealment of embezzlement of public funds – Philippe Martin will have to repay the 238,000 euros that she had received at the National Assembly. They will also have to pay a fine of 70,000 and 30,000 euros respectively.
Philippe Martin, 68, will also have to repay 194,000 euros to the National Assembly for having paid, with money from the Palais-Bourbon, a woman who worked for the Socialist Party in Auch between 2005 and 2012.
“I agree to recognize the facts and accept the proposed penalties”, said Mr. Martin on Tuesday.
The investigation started in 2017, following the receipt of two anonymous letters of denunciation by the Auch prosecutor’s office and the PNF. The PNF then requested information from the National Assembly, the Urssaf and the HATVP and entrusted the investigations to the Central Office for the Fight once morest Corruption and Financial and Tax Offenses (OCLCIFF).
