Paris town hall raided amid probe into mayor’s trip to Tahiti

Paris town hall is under investigation into Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s taxpayer-funded trip to Tahiti, a French Pacific island

Investigators descended upon Paris town hall on Tuesday as part of an ongoing inquiry into a taxpayer-funded journey undertaken by Mayor Anne Hidalgo to the French Pacific island of Tahiti, according to a judicial source speaking to the media.

Initiated after complaints by anti-corruption advocates and city councilors regarding Hidalgo’s October excursion with Paris officials, the investigation, initially disclosed by the daily Le Monde, has drawn the attention of specialist financial crimes officers and prosecutors from the National Financial Prosecutor (PNF).

Hidalgo’s voyage, defended by her as a connection to this year’s Paris Olympics, specifically the surfing event set to take place at Teahupoo in Tahiti has come under scrutiny due to the inclusion of her partner and the addition of a two-week personal stay, appended to the €60,000  official visit.

While Hidalgo has asserted that she financed the private portion of the trip herself, encompassing her return flight, concerns have been raised by the anti-graft association AC!! Anti-Corruption, alleging that her stay encompassed a visit to her daughter residing on a nearby island.

Responding to inquiries, Hidalgo’s office conveyed to the media in a written statement that it had cooperated by voluntarily furnishing documentation regarding the city delegation’s journey to French Polynesia and New Caledonia, another French Pacific territory. Furthermore, it affirmed compliance with additional document requests made by investigators during Tuesday’s proceedings.

Additionally, the city hall underscored that its internal ethics commission, composed of members nominated by Hidalgo, found no irregularities concerning the Polynesian excursion.

Source: AFP