He escaped a public trial but not a conviction. Tried as part of a guilty plea procedure, the mayor of Brest François Cuillandre was sentenced this Thursday to a fine of 10,000 euros, including 7,000 suspended, for concealment of breach of trust. The socialist elected official was prosecuted in the context of the “Vivre à Brest” affair, named after the association which directly collected compensation from elected PS officials from the municipal treasury before paying them back to elected officials as part of a sharing system.
François Cuillandre, although not participating in the pooling system since he was elected mayor of Brest in 2002, had received 46,000 euros between January 2007 and November 2016, in particular for reimbursements of campaign expenses or contributions to the Socialist Party , according to the correctional referral order.
The elected official recognizes the facts for the first time
The elected socialist had justified himself during the investigation by saying that he had been a major contributor to the association in the past and had considered it normal that the association reimbursed him sums committed for the benefit of the elected socialists. He had also received 9,000 euros in advance or loans, including 4,000 euros intended to finance his son’s professional activity. Indicted in October 2019, he always denied having committed an offense until Thursday’s hearing. “I recognize the facts,” he only declared on the stand in response to the president’s questions.
Questioned again by the lawyer for the Anticor association, Me David Rajjou, who was surprised by such late recognition, the Breton mayor refused to answer. “He is not sincere, he recognizes the facts as an opportunity,” said Me Rabah Laraba, lawyer for a former socialist elected civil party, who denounced “favorable treatment” for the elected official.