TF1 / LCI INFO: Claude Guéant imprisoned in the health prison for non-payment of his debt to the Public Treasury

According to our information, the former Minister of the Interior Claude Guéant, aged 77, was imprisoned this Monday, December 13 in the morning at the prison of Health, by decision of the Paris prosecutor’s office. This decision follows the non-payment of his debts to the State after his conviction in the so-called “cabinet bonuses” case. Claude Guéant was sentenced in 2017 to two years of imprisonment, including one year suspended probation, and 75,000 euros fine, for complicity in embezzlement of public funds and concealment. He was also ordered to pay, jointly and severally with four other defendants, 210,000 euros in damages to the State.

“It’s an extremely heavy decision”, reacts on LCI his lawyer, Me Philippe El Ghozi. “Claude Guéant is almost 77 years old, he is in a situation which is that of a man of this age, with very serious health problems, which will be examined by health doctors today and tomorrow.” The former tenant of Place Beauvau is imprisoned in the neighborhood of so-called vulnerable people, says his lawyer.

According to him, Claude Guéant could not repay his debt to the public treasury more quickly. “He has a pension of around 5,500 euros per month”, details his lawyer. “Of this sum, 3000 euros are paid each month to the Public Treasury, and we considered that he had to pay more when he did not have more. Because he did not pay more, we decided to carry out part of the sentence in prison. It is a very difficult decision. “

In a press release, the Paris public prosecutor’s office confirms that “the penalty enforcement chamber” decided to revoke “up to three months the sentence accompanied by the probationary suspension” and “up to six months on parole”. Me Philippe El Ghozi therefore contests “a firm jail sentence for someone who cannot pay more than he pays”. According to him, Claude Guéant still owes 115,000 euros to the Public Treasury.

From now on, his lawyer will seize “a penalty enforcement judge” so that the former secretary general of the Élysée “can get out of the health establishment as quickly as possible”, because he lives “very bad” this situation, even if “face, don’t discard”. One of the solutions could be that “relatives and friends lend money to Claude Guéant”, to “to be able to repay in advance” his debt, which “could convince a judge of the application of sentences”.

The former President of the Republic Nicolas Sarkozy, once close to Claude Guéant, did he support his former Minister of the Interior? “It would be difficult since in another case, Nicolas Sarkozy is prohibited from coming into contact with Claude Guéant”, answers Me Philippe El Ghozy. “He does not have this possibility to call his former secretary general.”