The state refuses to reimburse an octogenarian nearly 90,000 euros in treasury bills

Will Francine see her money again? The State refuses to reimburse this octogenarian who lost nearly 90,000 euros in Treasury bills and has been fighting for several years to recover them. It all started in 1996 when Francine Chaffard and her husband, who has since died, bought 72 Treasury bonds for an amount of 89,944.92 euros, and valid for 30 years at the time.

As a reminder, Treasury bills are debt securities issued by the State which allow it to collect money from private and professional investors. In summary, Mr. and Mrs. everyone can lend money to the State and in return the latter pays you interest each year and reimburses you the amount loaned at the end of a scheduled deadline. It is on this last point that this case is played out. In fact, in 2008, a change in the law modifies the validity of Francine Chaffard’s treasury bills, which will henceforth be prescribed, or expired, in 2013.

The Defender of Rights seized

Despite several trips to its local treasury, in Toulon, to cash vouchers between 2009 and 2011, no one informed Francine Chaffard of this change, she says. So much so that in 2017, when she sought to be reimbursed for other vouchers, she was refused a refusal and then referred the matter to the Defender of Rights. The latter repeatedly calls on the Ministry of Public Accounts and that of the Economy and Finance to request the “benevolent review of this file” and grant “exceptionally” and in the name of “equity” reimbursement. coupons, details its special report.

But the administration and the heads of Bruno Le Maire’s cabinet respond unfavorably to this request, believing that the State had no information obligation concerning the new law which modified the prescription of bonds.

Bruno the Mayor “Very touched by this affair”

Questioned on the subject Monday evening on LCI, the minister “said he was very touched by this affair” and indicated that he would “re-examine” the file. “If she has not been warned (of the change in the law), it is indeed necessary to reexamine the subject,” he explained. Asked earlier on Monday, the ministry did not wish to speak on “a particular case” in progress, taking refuge behind “professional and tax secrecy”.

In a press release, the Defender of Rights Claire Hédon who has decided, a very rare thing, to publish her special report in the Official Journal, “deplores” the failings of the State in this affair. In its report, it considers in particular that the treasury of Toulon committed “mistakes” which engage the administration.