The prosecution required Tuesday five years in prison, including one year suspended, without immediate incarceration, against the mayor LR of Levallois-Perret Patrick Balkany tried on appeal for aggravated laundering of tax fraud and illegal taking of interest.
The public prosecutor’s office also asked for ten years of ineligibility against the mayor of this affluent town in western Paris, which he has directed almost continuously since 1983. And demanded “provisional execution of this additional sentence “, on behalf of “restoring social balance ”. On the other hand, taking into account recent medical expertise showing a general deterioration in the health of Patrick Balkany, 71, the prosecution did not require a warrant for hearing. Hospitalized almost continuously since mid-December, the former baron of Hauts-de-Seine did not attend his appeal trial.
Against Isabelle Balkany, 72, wife and first deputy of the mayor, the public prosecutor’s office requested four years in prison, two of which were suspended, and also ten years of ineligibility. He noted that the acting mayor – since the incarceration of her husband in September – had “recognized a fault “, even if, often absent or opposing her right to silence, she had “reserved most of his energy for the media tribunal ”.
The public prosecutor’s office also asked for the seizure of the couple’s property, in particular the luxurious mill of Giverny (Eure) of which they retain the usufruct.
The Balkany are suspected of having concealed 13 million euros in tax revenue between 2007 and 2014, including two sumptuous villas, Pamplemousse in Saint-Martin and Dar Guycy in Marrakech.
If they recognized some “Faults” and the property of the Antillean villa, they vigorously contest the amount of the assets in question and pride themselves on having never misappropriated “A penny of public money”. The couple persist in denying that they own a riad in Marrakech. And this, despite the robes embroidered with the initials “PB“, autographed books, furniture paid for by Isabelle Balkany.
At first instance, the court had sentenced Patrick Balkany to five years in prison for aggravated money laundering with immediate imprisonment, and his wife to four years of imprisonment, but without a warrant in view of his fragile health. Both had been sentenced to ten years of ineligibility and their property had been seized. This heavy sentence was added to the prison terms imposed for tax evasion: four years for him and three years for her.
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