Ferdinand Bernhard was also sentenced to five years of deprivation of his civil and civic rights. The elected official guilty of “misappropriation of public funds” in particular, announced his appeal in cassation.
Le Monde with AFP
The Mayor of Sanary-sur-Mer (Var), Ferdinand Bernhard, was sentenced, Tuesday, October 19, on appeal to three years in prison, one year ago, for “misappropriation of public funds” in particular. The Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal also pronounced a five-year ineligibility sentence. In September 2020, the Correctional Court of Marseille had also sentenced to three years in prison, but only at six months farm.
The Mayor Var (Miscellaneous Right), who will have to make his prison sentence at an electronic bracelet, “already, already, let him know that he has appeared in cassation. The appeal will, however, have no effect on the five-year sentence of deprivation of its civil and civic rights, which has been accompanied by a provisional execution.
m. Bernhard, re-elected without interruption since 1989, will no longer be mayor of this seaside resort VAROISE as soon as the prefect of the Var has notified him the judgment of the Court. The 69-year-old elected was also sentenced to a fine of 50,000 euros and the confiscation of a real estate ensemble estimated at 1.5 million euros. This retirement dentist has been convicted of illegal interest, misappropriation of public funds and favoritism.
His mistress, also convicted
The elected officially appeal to reproach the promotion of his mistress “in defiance of respect for the rules of employment in the public service”. Sentenced for concealment of illegal interest at eight months in prison prison, 30 000 euros fine and five years of deprivation of civil and civic rights, this former employee of the municipality had quickly passed management controller. Executive Director of Services, one of the best remunerated positions.
The Court of Appeal also sanctioned the maneuvers and gratings to obtain a building permit on which Mr. Bernhard has built four villas and a swimming pool. In their judgment, the courts of appeal justified the aggravation of the sentence by the will “to severely sanction these shortcomings to the probity committed by a custodian of the public authority (…), with the aim of preventing and sanctioning these abuse of power and restore the confidence of citizens in political staff “. Mr. Bernhard had been re-elected for a sixth term in June 2020, from the first round, with more than 68% of the vote.