Chirac and Capt. Renault have much in common
Posted on 05/09/2006 8:32:23 PM PDT by blam
Chirac denies claims of £30m paid into secret Japanese bank account
By Colin Randall in Paris
(Filed: 10/05/2006)
President Jacques Chirac took the exceptional step last night of denying allegations that he had a secret Japanese bank account into which £30 million had been paid over a number of years.
Mr Chirac, who rarely responds to allegations questioning his financial propriety, "categorically" rejected the suggestion in the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchainé that he had ever possessed such an account.
A French intelligence chief, Gen Philippe Rondot, was alleged to have told investigating judges that the large amounts were paid by a "cultural foundation" into an account in the president's name at the Tokyo Sowa Bank.
Gen Rondot is at the centre of an investigation into who ordered intelligence checks on Nicolas Sarkozy, the interior minister and presidential hopeful. Mr Sarkozy had been falsely accused in poison pen mail of holding secret overseas accounts to launder kickbacks from the sale of French warships to Taiwan.
The judges, who are seeking to identify the whistleblower, were reportedly told by the general that he was personally ordered by the prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, to investigate Mr Sarkozy.
Both the prime minister and Mr Chirac, who was said to have sanctioned such inquiries, deny the charges.
Le Canard said Mr Chirac's alleged account in Japan had been mentioned incidentally during Gen Rondot's questioning. But a close confidant of the president was quoted as saying: "The President of the Republic categorically denies the information reported by the Canard Enchainé. The president has never had an account at the Sowa Bank."
Correct. It was at the Sumitomo Bank down the street.
The French news reads like a crazy soap opera. It is much better than any old Dallas rerun.
"I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!"
"Your winnings, sir..."
"...Oh, thank you very much."
Why deposit your funds in a Japanese bank? I don't think they pay interest, at least they didn't on my $10k account.
Chirac and Capt. Renault have much in common
That's interesting. I got an email just this evening from some M. Chirac saying that he had some funds in a Japanese bank and that he would be willing to give me a sizable percentage if I would help him get the funds out the country by moving them into my account.
no comment
Chirac is 110% corrupt scum. He ran multiple scams when mayor of paris dealing with construction contracts and taking bribes for his political party.
This money is probably his legal defense fund for when he leaves office and doesn't have immunity from prosecution anymore. Not only is he got multiple lawsuits lined up against him in France, but other countries have lawsuits pending as well.
He's a french Bill Clinton.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.