France
Investigation into the dissemination of sexual photomontages on the balcony
Having already been condemned in other cases, the pair of septuagenarians appear this time for using images to attack a former municipal councillor.
Published
In 2022, the couple denies any wrongdoing.
AFP
Patrick and Isabelle Balcony are back at court. The former mayor of Levallois-Perret and his wife will be questioned on Tuesday in Nanterre (Paris) by former municipal councilor David-Xavier Weiss for the dissemination of photomontages of a sexual nature. Patrick, 74, and Isabel Balgani, 75, are on trial for “use of a document relating to images of a sexual nature and obtained by invasion of the privacy of others”.
It is suspected that they broadcast the photo series in February 2021 with the intention of harming David-Xavier Weiss, the current first deputy mayor of Levallois, and Agnes Pottier-Dumas, a former ally turned political opponent of Balconi. Since his departure from Levallois’ town hall in 2020, Balgani has repeatedly raised criticism on social networks against his replacement and his team.
During the investigation, the Balconi spouses explained that they found the photos in an envelope in a mailbox and then sent them to several people and especially Agnes Bottier-Dumas to warn her. A few days later, Weiss filed a complaint for disclosure of a sexually explicit document. “We deny any wrongdoing and reserve our explanations for the court,” said Robin Pinchardt, who represents the couple.
Two other cases
Patrick Balgani, mayor and vice-president of Levallois for thirty years (1983-1995 and 2001-2020), is currently being prosecuted in two other cases in Nanterre. Already chargedMisappropriation of property or public fund of a person holding public authority”, “misappropriation of corporate property” and another case against him for “unlawful taking of benefits”.
Last January, a Paris appeals court commuted the sentences of Patrick and Isabelle Balgani for money laundering. Tax fraud And in the first part of the case he pronounced the confusion of the penalties imposed for tax evasion. So they were punished respectively Four and a half to three and a half years in prisonas well as a fine of 100,000 euros each and disqualification for ten years.
The former grandson of Hauts-de-Seine, who had already spent five months in prison in 2019-2020, was re-incarcerated for six months from February to August 2022 as part of his sentence for tax evasion. Isabel balcony, he was fruitful. In early March this part of the conditional release operation. Her husband told CNews in late February that she was suffering from pancreatic cancer.
(AFP)
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