Anti-corruption association AC Anti-Corruption has filed a legal complaint against Saint-Denis Mayor Bally Bagayoko over allegations of public fund misuse and fictitious employment. The complaint against X was submitted to the National Financial Prosecutor's Office.
The legal action follows an article published by the satirical newspaper Le Canard enchaîné regarding Bagayoko's dual roles as a public official and a full-time executive at public transit operator RATP. The complaint also cites alleged illegal taking of interests, favoritism, breach of probity, and irregular accumulation of public activities. Bagayoko, 53, who emerged as a prominent symbol of La France Insoumise during municipal elections, declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
Dual role allegations and public funds
In an article titled Le ticket gagnant de Bally Bagayoko, the newspaper reported that Bagayoko combined a local political mandate with a manager position at RATP over a long period. The publication reported that he was recruited without a competitive exam or interview in 2000, benefitting from flexible work hours and generous allowances. He held his RATP role alongside his position as deputy mayor, as well as a former stint as vice president of the departmental council.
AC Anti-Corruption noted that holding two full-time public positions is prohibited without express, reasoned authorization. The association requested verification of dual-activity permissions from RATP or the prefecture, alongside proof of Bagayoko's actual attendance at RATP during his political terms. If salary was collected for a position not worked full time, the group stated it would constitute an improper use of public funds.
When contacted by AFP, RATP stated that it remains fully available to provide justice with all necessary elements if prosecutors choose to follow up on the complaint.
Salary increases and whistleblower response
According to Le Canard enchaîné, after Bagayoko lost his departmental council seat in 2015, the municipal council of Saint-Denis, then led by the French Communist Party, voted a 102 percent increase in his deputy mayor allowances. The paper noted that this raise supplemented a management salary exceeding 6,000 euros per month. Bagayoko confirmed to the newspaper that his monthly executive compensation exceeded 6,000 euros including bonuses and a 13th-month payment.
Former judge Éric Halphen, honorary president of AC Anti-Corruption, told AFP that the group must report actions that appear illegal and damaging to public interests, regardless of whether those involved belong to the political left or right. Halphen added that because the allegations involve a municipal official and a public body like RATP, the association felt obligated to alert financial prosecutors and serve as a whistleblower.
