French ex-minister in court over tax fraud, money laundering

The 63-year-old is accused of financing a lavish lifestyle by fraudulently concealing 687,000 euros ($765,000) of income from French tax authorities in 2009-2012 and laundering money in 2003-2013 through foreign bank accounts based in tax havens including Switzerland, Panama, the Seychelles and Singapore.

After strongly denying any fraud for months and publicly lying to Parliament, on television, to the French people and to his government colleagues, Cahuzac eventually admitted his wrongdoing in a statement in April 2013, saying he had been "trapped in a lying spiral" and that he was "devastated by remorse."

On trial alongside Cahuzac are his former wife; a banker; a legal adviser; and bank Reyl, a respectable but little-known Swiss establishment, accused of tax fraud and/or money laundering.

Known for his love of luxury watches, cigars and expensive vacations, Cahuzac built his wealth on his professional activities as a plastic surgeon in the hair transplantation clinic he operated with his ex-wife and as a consultant for big pharmaceutical laboratories.