Searches took place on Monday, June 14 at the Institut hospitalo-universitaire (IHU) Méditerranée Infection, as part of an investigation unrelated to the controversies related to Covid-19 and to Professor Didier Raoult, who heads the IHU.

“The Marseille prosecutor’s office confirms that a preliminary investigation has been initiated since the transmission of a report from the French anti-corruption agency (AFA) in 2019. It targets the Research Institute for Development (IRD), in its financial links with the Méditerranée Infection Foundation “, explained the prosecutor of Marseille, Dominique Laurens.

Unexplained expenses

The survey also concerns “the internal functioning of the IRD, on the use of public funds for expenditure unrelated to the IRD’s missions or not justified”, added the prosecutor.

“The search is over,” said an IHU spokesperson. “We sent the documents they needed, everything went smoothly. We of course worked together to make it as smooth as possible”.

Suspicion of corruption

“This is a conflict of interest between the management of the IRD and the presidency of the IHU”, details for his part the lawyer of Didier Raoult, Me Brice Grazzini. Several agreements between the two scientific institutions, and in particular the rental of IHU offices to IRD, are targeted by the investigation.

The IHU has for months been the target of controversy around its director, Didier Raoult, criticized for his controversial use of hydroxychloroquine against Covid-19 and questioned by the Bouches-du-Rhône Order of Physicians.