the CSM seized for possible breaches of the former head of the financial prosecutor’s office

The CSM, the Superior Council of the Judiciary, was seized after “suspected disciplinary offenses” likely to be reproached to the former financial prosecutor of the Republic, Eliane Houlette, according to the administrative investigation report unveiled by Jean Castex on Friday March 26. This report concerns three PNF magistrates in the so-called “fadettes” affair. The administrative investigation mission carried out by the IGJ, the general inspectorate of justice, points in particular to the “managerial behavior” of Eliane Houlette and “possible conflicts of interest between his professional practice and his private relations “.

The Prime Minister indicates that “The Superior Council of the Magistracy will be seized for the purpose of assessing the professional behavior of Eliane Houlette with regard to the duties of her office”.

Regarding the file of Patrice Amar, first vice-financial prosecutor, the Prime Minister said to have noted, in the documents brought to his attention, “various elements likely to give rise to serious doubt as to compliance with its ethical obligations”. He considered that the assessments in question deserved to be brought to the attention of the Superior Council of the Judiciary so that the latter, using the powers of investigation, could, “to draw consequences of a disciplinary nature”.

In addition, the Prime Minister considering that no ethical breach was found in the professional behavior of Ms. Ulrika-Lovisa Delaunay-Weiss, deputy financial prosecutor, he decided to classify the procedure concerning her.

The General Inspectorate of Justice (IGJ) was seized in July 2020 by the then minister, Nicole Belloubet concerning “the conditions of a preliminary investigation opened to the national financial prosecutor’s office on the count of violation of professional secrecy, known as “fadettes”.

The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF), sought in this investigation the “mole” having been able to inform Nicolas Sarkozy and Thierry Herzog that they were tapped. The PNF had had the “fadettes” of tenors of the bar, a magistrate and a journalist peeled. The use of “fadettes” for “detailed invoices” for telephone lines, allows investigators to have the list of calls made and received from a telephone.