French police began questioning Labour Minister Eric Woerth on Thursday in their probe into the financial affairs of France’s richest woman, L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, officers said.

Investigators came to Woerth’s offices in the labour ministry to conduct the interview, police officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Plain clothes officers were seen at the Paris ministry at 8.30am (0630 GMT).