FRANCE: Photographer on trial accused of tricking a billion euros from French heiress

Record ID: 1525857

  • Title: FRANCE: Photographer on trial accused of tricking a billion euros from French heiress
  • Date: 2nd July 2010
  • Summary: NANTERRE, FRANCE (JULY 1, 2010) (REUTERS) **FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** COURTHOUSE IN NANTERRE, WEST OF PARIS VARIOUS OF COURTROOM LAWYER GEORGE KIEJMAN ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (French) GEORGE KIEJMAN, ACTING FOR LILIANE BETTENCOURT, SAYING "This trial has become an affair of state and has been described as uncontrollable. It should stop. Either the word 'fairness' has a meaning in law, or it hasn't, in which case it would be an unfair trial. The court will tell us that in a short while." KEIJMAN TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) GEORGE KIEJMAN, ACTING FOR LILIANE BETTENCOURT, SAYING: "One can't build a case on systematic spying for one year, on the basis of stolen documents. One can't talk of a contest at equal arms. I don't have the product of all this spying. Once I can see it, we can talk of a fair trial." VARIOUS OF BANIER ARRIVING WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS LAWER OLIVIER METZNER, ACTING FOR BETTENCOURT'S DAUGHTER FRANCOIS, ARRIVING (SOUNDBITE) (French) LAWYWER OLIVIER METZNER, SAYING "Francois Bettancourt is very anxious. She wants her mother back, to re-create the united family that always existed - a united Bettancourt family. Andre, Liliane Bettancourt, Francois and her husband Jean-Pierre. Contacts have to be re-established and her mother should be taken out from the influence of a man and advisers who make her do what they want." METZNER ENTERING COURTROOM VARIOUS BANIER IN COURTROOM
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2010 15:32
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA99TBA9IULJW5DJDCUB08FM6PW
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: A French photographer went on trial on Thursday (July 1) accused of tricking one billion euros out of Europe's richest woman, woman who is herself at the centre of a storm shaking French politics over allegations a minister's wife helped her avoid taxes.
    The trial opened amid widespread speculation that it might be immediately adjourned because of the extremely tense political climate surrounding Liliane Bettencourt, the heiress to the L'Oreal cosmetics group.
    Photographer Francois-Marie Banier stands accused of taking advantage of the 87-year-old heiress' weak state of mind to extract the better part of one billion euros in gifts.
    Both the photographer and Bettencourt deny the allegations, made by her estranged daughter who filed the criminal complaint and is a civil plaintiff in the case.
    Her lawyer, George Kiejman, told reporters the trial should be immediately stopped because of the political tension surrounding Bettencourt.
    "One can't build a case on systematic spying for one year, on the basis of stolen documents. One can't talk of a contest at equal arms. I don't have the product of all this spying. Once I can see it, we can talk of a fair trial," Kiejman said.
    The trial comes at a time when Bettencourt's fortune is at the very heart of a searing political scandal over her tax affairs that risks tarnishing one of President Nicolas Sarkozy's top ministerial talents, Labour Minister Eric Woerth.
    Woerth's wife used to help manage Bettencourt's accounts and he has been accused of a conflict of interest for having failed to order a tax investigation into the elderly billionaire when he served as budget minister from 2007 to March 2010.
    The ensuing controversy has led to opposition calls for Eric Woerth to resign, which would deal a blow to Sarkozy who is counting on him to drive through a reform of the pension system that is the big test of the administration.
    If found guilty, Banier faces up to three years in jail and 375,000 euros in fines -- in addition to being made to repay the sums he received.
    A police investigation alleges that a total of a billion euros was given to Banier under the form of life insurance policies, works of art, cash and cheques.
    Bettencourt is the 17th richest woman in the world with about 17 billion euros according to Forbes' listing of richest people. Her daughter says she suffers from a neurological condition that affects her judgement.
    Bettencourt denies this forcefully, saying she is in full possession of her capacities.
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