French tycoon charged in Africa corruption probe

Vincent Bollore is one of France's most powerful businessmen, at the head of a tentacular empire with interests in everything from construction and logistics to media, advertising and agriculture

Billionaire French industrialist Vincent Bollore was charged Wednesday as part of a probe into allegations his company helped two African leaders win elections in return for lucrative contracts, after two days of questioning by police.

The 66-year-old head of the Bollore Group was taken into custody Tuesday in the Paris suburb of Nanterre after authorities launched an investigation into how its African logistics subsidiary secured contracts to run Lome port in Togo and Conakry port in Guinea.