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Head of Paris bid under investigation
PARIS (AP) -- Claude Bebear, one of France's most prominent businessmen and head of Paris' bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, was placed under formal investigation in connection with an alleged money laundering scheme, judicial sources said Thursday. Bebear, the former head of Axa SA insurance group, was to remain head of the bid committee, officials said. He was placed under formal investigation -- one step short of being charged -- on Wednesday night after being questioned, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Bebear stepped down as Axa chairman last year. He is now chairing the official committee to promote Paris' bid to host the 2008 Games. An official at the committee, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bebear was still head of the bid committee and would remain so. The official said the money-laundering case had nothing to do with the Olympics bid. Alain Danet, a senior member of the Paris bid team, said Bebear spoke to the head of International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, from his home Thursday morning. Danet was speaking in Kenya, where he is attending a meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa. He said Bebear's legal woes would not affect Paris' bid, because the bid is run by groups, like the city authorities and the government, and not by individuals. Danet even thought the news might help Paris. "We have the chairman of the bid on the front pages of the papers without reason ... if you have somebody in difficulties everybody will work with him," he said. John Bitove, head of Toronto's bid, said the news would not affect Paris' chances. "There is more than one person in the bid teams and as far as I know nothing has been proven," he said. Five cities are bidding to host the 2008 games -- Toronto, Paris, Beijing, Istanbul, Turkey and Osaka, Japan. Beijing is considered the favorite and the winner will be chosen by the International Olympic Committee on July 13 in Moscow. Bebear is the second official from Axa, France's largest insurance group, to be formally implicated in the money laundering affair. On Wednesday, Henri de Castries, chairman of Axa, was placed under investigation for '"aggravated money laundering" as part of the probe into the alleged scheme to launder money between France and Luxembourg. De Castries and Bebear, who is also being investigated for "aggravated money laundering," were taken in Tuesday and held overnight for questioning, police said. De Castries was formerly Bebear's No. 2 at Axa. They were questioned as part of a larger inquiry into PanEuroLife, a life insurance company suspected of having collaborated in massive tax evasion by funneling money from France to Luxembourg. Eighteen people have been charged with fraud, theft and money laundering in the affair. The case is being investigated by Judge Dominique de Talance. PanEuroLife was set up by UAP in 1991 to sell life insurance in Europe. Axa took over the group when it bought UAP in 1996. Axa then sold the unit to U.S. insurer Nationwide in early 1999.
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