French open full fake jobs inquiry into candidate Fillon

Francois Fillon, candidate for the 2017 French presidential elections of the right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party participates to the Construction Forum debate "reinvest France" ("Reinvestissons la France") at Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) (The Associated Press)

French conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon delivers a speech during a campaign meeting in Maisons-Alfort, outside Paris, France, Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. The French financial prosecutor's office has decided to open a judicial inquiry into the allegedly fake parliamentary aide jobs that conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon gave to his wife and two of his children. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) (The Associated Press)

The French financial prosecutor's office has decided to open a judicial inquiry into the allegedly fake parliamentary aide jobs that conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon gave to his wife and two of his children.

After a preliminary investigation opened Jan. 25, the prosecutor's office decided to move forward with the case. However, no one is named in the judicial investigation that opened Friday on a list of charges, including misappropriation of public funds.

Fillon had been one of the front-runners for the French presidency but his candidacy has stumbled after these allegations. Fillon admits that he hired his wife and children, but says the jobs were real and the practice was legal at the time.