EU anti-fraud body accuses Marine Le Pen

The EU's anti-fraud body has accused French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and associates of embezzling around 600,000 euros during their time as MEPs, French website Mediapart said Saturday, quoting a new report. The allegations come just over a week before Le Pen goes head-to-head with incumbent Emmanuel Macron in the second round of presidential elections. Her lawyer dismissed the accusations, raising suspicions over the "timing" of the report. Mediapart published extracts from the new report by OLAF into expenses that political groups can make as part of their mandate as MEPs. The agency accuses Le Pen and others of having used the funds for political purposes that would benefit commercial companies close to her National Rally party.