Dati with newborn had kept the identity of the father a secret Former French justice minister Rachida Dati has sought legal action to get hotel tycoon Dominique Desseigne to acknowledge paternity of her daughter, Desseigne's office said Tuesday. But Dati, currently a member of the European Parliament, denied the claim, telling AFP: "It's false."
The Lucien Barriere group, which Desseigne heads, made a statement through its spokesman saying Dati had made a legal bid for "recognition of paternity" for her daughter Zora, born on January 2, 2009.
Dati had kept the identity of the father a secret, sparking a French guessing game that prompted Spain's former prime minister Jose Maria Aznar to formally deny paternity in a bid to squash rumours.
The others who figured in the frenzied speculation included a top Qatari official, a prominent French TV host, a leading Paris businessman and Desseigne.
Desseigne's chain, which includes 37 casinos, 15 luxury hotels and nearly 130 restaurants and bars including the famed Parisian restaurant Fouquet, posted turnover of nearly 1.1 billion euros ($1.4 billion) last year.