Swiss investigate Mitterrand

GENEVA, Switzerland -- Swiss authorities have opened an inquiry into alleged money laundering involving Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, son of the late French president.

Mitterrand has been imprisoned in Paris since December 21 on suspicion of arms trafficking, influence peddling and embezzlement in relation to Russian arms sales to Angola in the early 1990s.

"I confirm that I have opened a criminal inquiry into money laundering," Geneva's top prosecutor Bernard Bertossa said on Wednesday.

"This follows a number of facts indicated to us by the French authorities and this involves a certain number of individuals, among them Mr. Mitterrand," he added.

Geneva judicial authorities have frozen eight bank accounts in relation to the probe while in the Zurich area two more accounts have been blocked.

"There are suspicions of a crime, there are bank accounts in Switzerland," Bertossa said.

"Our probe has to establish who did what and to determine whether the people who used these funds can be considered guilty of money laundering under Swiss law," Bertossa said.

Bertossa declined to give details on the banks or the sums involved.

On Tuesday, Mitterrand opted to pay five million French francs ($716,400) bail to allow him to leave prison ahead of his trial.

Mitterrand denies any wrongdoing, but has admitted receiving $1.8 million in a Swiss bank account from arms dealer Pierre Falcone, who is also under investigation in the case.

However, he says the money was payment for helping with a legal, inter-government oil deal.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Mitterrand to pay bail
January 9, 2001
Mitterrand's son fails to make bail
January 3, 2001
Mitterrand son held in money-launder probe
December 21, 2000

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