French presidential candidate francois fillon faces further legal action in fake work probe

François Fillon, a former Prime Minister of France and a candidate in the 2017 French presidential election, is facing further legal action in a probe into allegations of fake work.

Fillon was a leading candidate in the presidential election until January 2017, when allegations emerged that he had paid his wife and children for fake jobs as parliamentary assistants. The allegations were made by the satirical newspaper Le Canard Dépêchés and were later investigated by the French authorities.

In January 2017, Fillon was placed under formal investigation for "misuse of public funds" and "embezzlement" in connection with the allegations. He denied any wrongdoing and claimed that the allegations were part of a political smear campaign.

In March 2017, Fillon's wife, Penelope Fillon, was also placed under formal investigation for her role in the alleged fake work scheme. She denied any wrongdoing and claimed that she had performed legitimate work as a parliamentary assistant.

In recent weeks, the investigation has taken a new turn, with new allegations emerging that Fillon had also paid his children for fake work as parliamentary assistants. The allegations were made by a former parliamentary assistant who claimed that she had been paid by Fillon's children for work that she had not actually performed.

As a result of the new allegations, Fillon's lawyer has announced that he will be seeking to have the investigation dropped, citing a lack of evidence and a lack of credibility in the allegations. However, the French authorities have indicated that they will continue to investigate the allegations and that Fillon will likely face further legal action.

The scandal has had significant political implications for Fillon, who was once seen as a strong contender for the presidency. His popularity has plummeted in recent months, and he has been forced to withdraw from the presidential election.