Severe requisitions. Three years of suspended prison sentence and a 15,000 euro fine were requested on Wednesday against the former LR MP Laurence Arribagéand current deputy mayor Horizons of Toulouse, tried in Paris for having tried to destabilize his opponent LREM in the 2017 legislative elections, Corinne Vignon, by means of a slanderous denunciation. The prosecutor also requested five years of deprivation of his civil rights, voting and eligibility. The judgment was reserved until January 29.
The elected official appeared for concealment of slanderous denunciation and violation of professional secrecy, violation of professional secrecy and illegal taking of interests. Alongside him on the dock, the former deputy regional director of public finances of Occitanie Marc Menvielle, now retired, and the former employer of Corinne Vignon, Frédéric Sartorelli.
Old astral charts
These three people are suspected of having orchestrated a plot aimed at destabilizing the LREM candidate (now Renaissance) in the 3rd constituency of Haute-Garonne, by organizing a denunciation for “tax fraud” and “hidden work” against her, in the aim of tarnishing his image before the second round of voting.
While Laurence Arribagé found herself in difficulty after the first round of the legislative elections, Marc Menvielle launched a tax investigation in June 2017 into the amateur astrologer activities of Corinne Vignon, whose income she allegedly did not declare.
At the same time, he had sent a judicial report to the Toulouse public prosecutor’s office, without prior verifications. It is this eagerness, as well as the fact that Marc Menvielle neglected to warn the regional director of public finances, which would have alerted the Toulouse public prosecutor’s office to the possibility of “manipulation”.
SMS exchange
Finally, the facts reported, the invoicing of three astral themes created by Corinne Vignon in 2012 for a total amount of 200 euros, were judged “insignificant” and the investigation was closed without further action for lack of infringement.
Frédéric Sartorelli, Corinne Vignon’s former employer, had transmitted to Laurence Arribagé information relating to his opponent’s astrologer activities. Informed in advance by Laurence Arribagé of the initiation of the procedure, he then contacted the local press in order to spread the news.
In 2021, the Toulouse public prosecutor’s office opened a judicial investigation targeting the three people. Investigators had uncovered text message exchanges between Marc Menvielle and Laurence Arribagé, who was regularly kept informed of the progress of the steps taken to cast shame on her electoral rival.
Three years of suspended prison time were required against Marc Menvielle, as well as a 20,000 euro fine and five years of deprivation of civil rights. Barely more lenient for Frédéric Sartorelli, the requisitions are two years in prison, a fine of 15,000 euros and five years of deprivation of civil rights. The two men appeared for slanderous denunciation, illegal taking of interests and violation of professional secrecy.
The maneuver did not prevent Corinne Vignon from emerging victorious from the 2017 legislative elections against Laurence Arribagé, and from being re-elected in 2022.