Saint-Denis mayor corruption investigation

Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of Saint-Denis, is facing legal scrutiny and allegations of corruption regarding his simultaneous employment at the RATP and his various municipal and departmental roles.

The anti-corruption association AC!! filed a complaint with the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF), alleging the misuse of public funds, favoritism, illegal interest, and the illegal cumulation of public functions. The complaint claims Bagayoko has held a full-time position at the RATP since 2000 without a competitive exam, receiving a monthly salary exceeding €6,000 plus bonuses. AC!! has specifically requested verification of any legal authorization for this dual employment and proof that Bagayoko actually performed his RATP duties while serving as an elected official.

New allegations following reports from Le Canard enchaîné suggest that Bagayoko’s transition to an RATP executive in 2000 may have been a strategic maneuver to facilitate his candidacy for municipal office. The reports allege that the intervention of Jacques Marsaud, a former RATP deputy director general and former secretary general of Saint-Denis, helped resolve Bagayoko’s status as a municipal employee, which would have otherwise barred his candidacy.

Additionally, the complaint notes that after Bagayoko lost a departmental mandate in 2015, the municipal council increased his adjoint-mayor allowance by 102%. While supporters of the La France Insoumise (LFI) mayor have described the investigation as a “politically motivated racial attack,” the legal proceedings continue to focus on the legality of his combined remunerated positions.