The fraud investigation into French presidential candidate Francois Fillon has been widened to include a gift of luxury suits from a friend, a judicial source told Reuters on Thursday, confirming an earlier report by Le Parisien newspaper.
Fillon, the conservative candidate of The Republicans, was put under formal investigation on Tuesday on suspicion of misusing public funds linked to payments to his wife and children for work they may not have carried out.
Fillon, a 63-year-old former prime minister, denies wrongdoing and has refused to abandon his bid for the presidency despite falling ratings because of the scandal. Opinion polls suggest he will be eliminated in the first round of voting on April 23.
