The Paris Court of Appeal on Wednesday ordered the release of the mayor of Levallois, in view of his general condition “he was hardly compatible with the detention”.

This is a first epilogue for Patrick Balkany, after five months in prison, and six hearings devoted to requests for release or planning judicial review.

The Paris Court of Appeal on Wednesday (February 12th) authorized the release of the 71-year-old mayor Les Républicains (LR) of Levallois-Perret for health reasons. Incarcerated since September 13, 2019, he was sentenced for tax fraud and then for aggravated money laundering.

The court, which relies on alarming medical expertise, found that the deterioration in Patrick Balkany’s state of health is “hardly compatible with detention”. It therefore “frees” the mayor of Levallois and imposes on him a light judicial review, without bail, in the case of tax fraud and money laundering.

The conditions laid down for the elected official are as follows: fix his residence at the Cossy mill, in Giverny (Eure), prohibition from leaving the national territory and obligation to report twice a month to the gendarmerie. The former Hauts-de-Seine baron left Paris’s health prison shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday.

“This is what is justified”

His wife and acting mayor of the city, Isabelle Balkany, rushed to the prison of Health, in Paris, from the news of his release. “We’re going home,” she told reporters, while conversing with her husband on the phone. “This is obviously what I hoped for, this is what is justified,” reacted the mayor’s lawyer, Romain Dieudonné. “The court did not give Balkany a gift, it’s just that the medical situation indicated that it was no longer possible,” he insisted.

The Balkanys are suspected of having hidden 13 million euros in assets from the tax authorities between 2007 and 2014, including two sumptuous villas in Pamplemousse in Saint-Martin and in Marrakech (Morocco). If they have recognized some “faults” and the ownership of the villa in the West Indies, they dispute the amount of the assets in question and pride themselves on having never diverted “a penny of public money”.

The couple, who finally chose to withdraw from the race for municipal elections in March, continue to deny the possession of a riad in Marrakech, despite bathrobes embroidered with the initials “PB”, autographed books, furniture paid for by Isabelle Balkany found in the Saharan villa.

Condemned at first instance

At first instance, the court had sentenced Patrick Balkany to five years in prison for aggravated money laundering, with immediate imprisonment, and his wife to four years’ imprisonment but without a deposit warrant, having regard to his fragile health. Both had been sentenced to ten years of ineligibility and their property had been seized.

This heavy sentence was added to the prison terms imposed for tax evasion: four years for him and three years for her.

In the second instance, the public prosecutor’s office took less severe requisitions, asking for four years firm against the mayor, without immediate imprisonment, and two years firm against his wife, as well as the confiscation of the Giverny mill, of which they are the owners. The Paris Court of Appeal will issue its decision on April 22 in the case.

The Balkany spouses are also awaiting a decision by the same court on March 4 in the tax fraud section of this case.