Second suspect in banking scandal freed

PARIS, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- French authorities have released a second suspect in the $7.2 billion Societe Generale rogue trading scandal, a report said Saturday.

The BBC reported the suspect was never officially charged in the growing financial scandal and was released after being questioned about his connection to Societe Generale trader Jerome Kerviel, the prime suspect in the case.

The second suspect is thought to be an employee of Fimat, a subsidiary of the French bank. The French newspaper Le Monde had reported Kerviel was suspected of using the Societe Generale subsidiary for his illicit dealings.

The Daily Telegraph said Saturday the second suspect was Moussa Bakir, a 32-year-old brokerage employee who sent Kerviel a suspicious e-mail last Nov. 30.

"You have done nothing illegal in the sense of the law," the Telegraph quoted the e-mail as saying.

Kerviel has been accused of computer abuse, fraud and breach of trust in relation to the rogue trading scandal, the BBC said.