Cayeux case: the HATVP suspects tax evasion

Here is a minister whose declaration of assets will probably never be seen. Appointed to the government as delegate to the Territorial Communities in July, Caroline Cayeux leaves the ship, without her declaration having been made public. The reason ? A disagreement with the High Authority for the Transparency of Public Life (HATVP), which believes that the minister has « undervalued » her declaration of assets. “I therefore obviously took his observations into account and I aligned myself with his assessments in a letter dated November 21,” claims Caroline Cayeux in a press release. Insufficient, however, according to the HATVP, which « continues to question (s) its sincerity », adds the former mayor LR of Beauvais. « In this context, it seemed preferable to me to resign so as not to hinder the action of the government », she affirms, without however making public the nature of the disagreement and the elements taxed with insincerity.

This Tuesday, the HATVP returns in detail to the case in a press release, suspecting « a false evaluation of its assets » and « tax evasion ». As mayor of Beauvais, the former minister had already been pinned in 2021 by the HATVP for shortcomings in his declaration of assets. In addition, continues the High Authority, Caroline Cayeux « sold property herself (…) for a price per m² very much higher than that declared ». In fact, « she could not ignore the fair value », sums up the HATVP.

The High Authority made a report to the public prosecutor. However, the appointment of a minister gives rise to a certain number of tax audits.

« In my opinion, this must have a certain gravity, because it is not easy to resign in Macronie », measurement Éric Alt, vice-president of the Anticor association. In 2021, for example, the Macronist Minister for SMEs, Alain Griset, had to be sentenced by the courts for « incomplete or misleading declaration of his financial situation » for him to finally agree to resign, more than a year after the HATVP had made a report about him to the public prosecutor.

Dupond-Moretti, Pannier-Runacher, the series continues…

“The real question is, who doesn’t have a run-in with the law or the HATVP in this government? It’s truly mind-blowing. », thus denounced on Twitter Olivier Faure, first secretary of the PS. The Cayeux case also comes at a time when the President of the Republic is himself in the sights of the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office in the McKinsey case. Recently, it was the Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, who was suspected of conflicts of interest because of her family ties with Perenco, the second largest oil company in France. As for Éric Dupond-Moretti and Alexis Kohler, respectively Keeper of the Seals and Secretary General of the Élysée, they have both been sent to court for « illegal taking of interests ». While remaining in place, while the candidate Macron had assured, in 2017, that the ministers indicted should resign.

Caroline Cayeux, for her part, leaves the government after a short period marked by a further deterioration in relations between the government and local authorities under severe strain. She has already been replaced by Dominique Faure, until then Secretary of State for Rurality. Discreet, the former minister will be especially noted during an outing with homophobic overtones. “I have many friends among all these people”she declared about marriage for all, after previous declarations in 2013. At the time, she saw in same-sex marriage a « design against nature ». “I obviously stand by my words, but I have always said that the law, if it were passed, I would apply it”she said in July.