Officials Launch Formal Investigation Of French Candidate Francois Fillon
Preliminary charges center on allegations the center-right presidential nominee paid his wife and children for fake jobs with public funds. Once the favorite, Fillon has faltered under the scandal.
Once the front-runner in France's presidential election, mainstream conservative candidate Francois Fillon is now confronting serious doubts he will even make it to the final round of voting. That uncertainty only deepened for the scandal-plagued politician Tuesday, as French authorities officially announced they are investigating Fillon on allegations he illegally diverted public money.
Officials filed preliminary charges against Fillon in a probe Fillon is "accused of misusing public funds, receiving money from the misuse of public funds, complicity in misusing public funds and improper declaration of assets, among other charges."
