In France, former head of Legion of Honour questioned over possible bribes — France 24
In France, former Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honour, General Benoît Puga, was detained as part of an investigation into possible bribery in the nomination of candidates for state awards. He was taken into custody on the morning of September 22 and released the following evening, France 24 reports.
Puga headed the body that awards the Legion of Honour from 2016 to 2023. The five-star general had previously also served as chief of staff to French Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande at the Élysée Palace.
Investigation into awards for senator's entourage
France's anti-corruption body questioned Puga as part of proceedings opened in 2023 over corruption, influence peddling and an unlawful conflict of interest. The investigation is linked to former Republican senator Jean-Pierre Bansard, who died in 2024.
A Mediapart investigation pointed to suspicions that Bansard may have used his wealth to obtain honours for people in his entourage. During his time in the Senate, three of his children and at least nine associates received the Legion of Honour or the National Order of Merit, France's second-highest state award.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
According to Mediapart, Bansard had friendly relations with Puga, invited him to expensive dinners and holidays in Corsica, and also provided business opportunities to his son. An AFP judicial source said police are determining whether Puga helped secure awards in 2016–2023 for several people from Bansard's family or professional circle.
Denials and selection procedure
Puga denies any wrongdoing. Bansard also denied any wrongdoing before his death. As part of the proceedings, law enforcement officers searched their homes, as well as Bansard's business and political offices; they questioned the general's wife, a restaurant owner and a former employee of the Grand Chancellery.
Investigators also questioned entrepreneur Julien Renaud, founder of the Legion of Honour Foundation. In July, Russian businessman Alexander Voinovsky named Renaud among people who allegedly offered in 2021 to transfer between €50,000 and €150,000 in exchange for obtaining an award or a French residence permit. Renaud confirmed contacts with Voinovsky but denied offering to pay for a state honour.
The Grand Chancellor chairs the council that considers candidates submitted by ministers, but the French president gives final approval to the lists of recipients. The Legion of Honour, founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, is the country's highest civilian and military distinction.
