French authorities conducted searches at the Culture Ministry, private homes, and the Paris mayor of the 7th district’s office as part of a corruption probe linked to Culture Minister Rachida Dati’s time as a European Parliament member.

Investigators cite a total of 299,000 euros in fees allegedly paid by GDF Suez to Dati, a figure highlighted in investigative media reports.

France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office opened an information judiciaire with charges including active and passive corruption, trafficking of influence with a public international organization, misappropriation of company assets, breach of trust, diversion of public funds, and money laundering related to these offenses.

Dati and her lawyers were not immediately available for comment.

Dati is regarded as a leading candidate for Paris mayor in 2026, a context observers note amid the probe.

Dati has repeatedly denied any contractual link with the gas group (Engie since 2015) and has in the past claimed no conflicts of interest.

The reporting sources include FRANCE 24 and Reuters, noting Dati’s potential involvement in multiple high-profile legal challenges.

Two examining judges from Paris’s financial crime unit are handling the investigation, and Dati’s lawyers have not commented.

The information remains partly secret prior to today, with ongoing police actions as part of the inquiry.

Dati’s political future, including her mayoral bid, is intertwined with ongoing legal scrutiny and past accusations of opacity in fees and influence trafficking.

The inquiry runs in parallel with scrutiny of Dati’s Paris mayoralty bid; she has previously denied accusations as defamatory and has ties to earlier investigations related to Carlos Ghosn.

Separately, judges ordered Dati and former Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn to stand trial in July for alleged corruption and abuse of power tied to consulting fees, which they deny.