Chirac on fraud charges

Former French President Jacques Chirac was charged with embezzling public money today.

A judge filed preliminary charges against him in an investigation of claims that people were given fake jobs while he was mayor of Paris.

The judge placed Chirac under formal investigation for suspected fraud, said his lawyer Jean Veil.

The case is one of several hanging over Chirac, who had kept investigators at arm’s length while he was president by using the immunity that comes with the post.

Under French law preliminary charges mean the investigating judge has ruled that there is strong evidence to suggest involvement in a crime.

The charges give the investigator time to pursue inquiries before deciding whether to send the suspects for trial or drop the case.

Chirac became the 21st suspect to face preliminary charges in the probe.

The investigation centres on whether Paris City Hall, under Chirac’s tenure, was paying the salaries of people who in fact were not working for it.