Marseille: French authorities have filed preliminary charges against the former head of a now-defunct company embroiled in a scandal over possibly faulty breast implants affecting thousands of women.
A lawyer for Jean-Claude Mas says a judge in the city of Marseille placed the Poly Implant Prothese company founder under investigation for "involuntary injury”. He was released on EUR 100,000 (USD 131,450) bail.
Defence lawyer Yves Haddad also said on Friday that an investigating magistrate has required Mas to stay in France and not meet with any other former PIP executives. Mas, 72, was arrested on Thursday.
The preliminary charges mean investigating magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but gives them more time to probe to decide whether to recommend it go to trial.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, January 27, 2012, 16:05