Jean Castex in police custody and then released: Investigation into embezzlement and forgery

Suspicions related to his tenure as president of the Conflent Canigo community of municipalities

Jean Castex, former Prime Minister and current Chairman of RATP, was taken into police custody this Thursday morning, February 13, in Montpellier, as part of an investigation into forgery, use of forgeries and misappropriation of public funds, according to information from Midi Libre confirmed by our colleagues at BFMTV. After being questioned for ten hours by the gendarmes, the former mayor of Prades and former president of the Conflent Canigo community of communes was released in the evening, with no legal proceedings at this stage. However, the investigation is continuing.

The case concerns actions taken during Castex’s tenure as president of the community of municipalities in the Pyrénées-Orientales between 2015 and 2020, specifically decisions made in 2017. The investigation was launched after a report from the anti-corruption organization Anticor in December 2023, which raised concerns over possible financial irregularities. According to judicial sources, there is currently no indication of personal enrichment. Further investigations are underway to determine whether any criminal acts occurred during his time leading the local government.

This case has attracted significant media attention, especially given the involvement of a former Prime Minister and a key figure in the French public sector. The public prosecutor of Perpignan has stated that additional investigations will be conducted to clarify the details of the case.