French ex-prime minister found guilty of fraud

A Paris court has found French former prime minister Francois Fillon guilty of having used public funds to pay his wife and children for work they never performed. Fillon, who was France's prime minister from 2007 to 2012, then left French politics. Fillon was accused of using public funds to pay his wife and children for work they allegedly never performed.

A Paris court has found French former prime minister Francois Fillon guilty of having used public funds to pay his wife and children for work they never performed. His wife, Penelope Fillon, has also been found guilty as an accomplice.

The court has not detailed the sentence yet. The work had brought the family more than 1 million euros ($1.08 million) since 1998.

The scandal broke in the French media just three months before the country's 2017 presidential election, as Fillon was the front-runner in the race. It cost him his reputation. Fillon sank to third place in the election, which was won by Emmanuel Macron. Fillon, who was France's prime minister from 2007 to 2012, then left French politics.

Fillon was accused of using public funds to pay his wife and children for work they allegedly never performed. Fillon and his wife have denied any wrongdoing.