Police question French minister in L'Oreal affair

FILE - This July 14, 2010 file photo shows French Labor Minister Eric Woerth and his wife Florence attending the traditional Bastille Day military parade. Financial police were questioning Wednesday July 21, 2010 the wife of France's labor minister in an investigation into the finances of the heiress to the L'Oreal cosmetics fortune. A judicial official who could not be named says that Florence Woerth was questioned as a witness, not a suspect, about tape recordings secretly made by a former employee of Liliane Bettencourt. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

Financial police are questioning Labour Minister Eric Woerth about his connection to the heiress of the L’Oreal cosmetics fortune in a scandal that has reached the highest levels of President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government.

A source close to the investigation who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to media said the questioning was under way on Thursday at the Labour Ministry.

Mr. Woerth is expected to be questioned about numerous issues, including a possible role in her alleged tax evasion, illegal campaign financing for Mr. Sarkozy’s political party and conflicts of interest. Mr. Woerth denies the claims.