PARIS (AP) — A French judicial official says the financial prosecutor's office has asked that former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon and his wife be sent to trial on corruption charges.

Fillon's 2017 presidential bid unraveled over allegations he paid his wife Penelope and two of their children more than 1 million euros ($1.1 million) over many years for jobs as parliamentary aides that involved no sustained work.

An official in the financial prosecutor's office confirmed press reports Friday that a demand to send the pair to trial was made. The official wasn't authorized to speak publicly and asked to remain anonymous.

Fillon, 64, has denied wrongdoing. He contends the allegations were a smear campaign.

He and his wife were handed preliminary charges in 2017, including for misuse of public funds.