Facing investigation : Rifaat al-Assad , 77 , is being probed by French police over his £64million fortune . The uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is facing a criminal investigation in France after amassing a £64million fortune despite being kicked out of Syria 'with nothing ' 30 years ago . Prosecutors in Paris have revealed details of the year-long probe into Rifaat al-Assad 's finances . Mr al-Assad , 77 , went into exile in Europe after staging a failed coup against his brother Hafez al Assad , who was Syria 's president at the time and is also Bashar 's father . He has since spent more than 30 years living a life of luxury moving between homes in Paris , London and the southern Spanish city of Marbella . The inquiry into the former Syrian vice president 's finances was triggered by Sherpa , an activist group representing the victims of financial crime , which claims his fortune was stolen during his time at the heart of the Syrian regime . His family 's assets , outlined by French customs in a May 2014 report , are valued at around £64million - much of it held through a web of businesses based in Luxembourg . Mr al-Assad has vehemently denied acquiring assets in France through illegal means . He also told investigators he 'had nothing ' when he left Syria , having always given his wages away to the poor , according to a source close to the investigation . 'It was ( then French president ) Francois Mitterrand who asked me to come to France ... he was very kind , ' he said , according to the source . On Friday , one of Mr al-Assad 's lawyers said : 'Were there even the slightest doubt over my client 's real estate ... would President Francois Mitterrand have awarded him the Legion d'Honneur ( France 's highest distinction ) in 1986 ? ' He told Reuters that his client 's property holdings dated back to 1984-1986 and were transparent and legal . Heart of the regime : Rifaat al-Assad ( left ) is pictured with his brother , the late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad , in 1984 before his exile from the country . His nephew : Activists say Rifaat al-Assad ( pictured in 1984 , left ) , who is the uncle of current Syrian President Bashar ( right ) , stole money from the country while operating at the heart of its government . His son Siwar al-Assad told France Info radio his father had received funds since 1984 from 'states , leaders and friends abroad ' . That included a gift from the king of Saudi Arabia of a 45 hectare ( 111 acre ) property and stud farm north of Paris , he said . Mr Al-assad claims he invested these gifts in property , but did not keep a close eye on the details . ' I only occupy myself with politics , ' he said , according to the source . 'They bring me papers to sign ... I do n't know how to pay , even in restaurants . ' Other members of the family have given evidence that Saudi backers have supported them ever since their exile in the 1980s . Another of Mr Al-assad 's lawyers Benjamin Grundler says his client 'lives principally from the sale of apartments ... and from the regular help of Saudi Arabia ' , stressing 'it is not Syrian money ' . Defending his father : Siwar al-Assad - the son of Rifaat al-Assad and Bashar 's cousin - told France Info radio his father had received funds since 1984 from 'states , leaders and friends abroad ' However , French Syria expert Fabrice Balanche , of CNRS University in Lyons , told the probe he is highly sceptical about the explanations . Speaking to investigators , he said : 'Saudi Arabia has no interest in supporting Rifaat , who does n't represent anything . ' Mr Al-assad commanded Syria 's notorious internal security forces in the 1970s and early 1980s . Those forces carried out the bloody Hama massacre in 1982 , which crushed a small Islamist uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood , killing between 10,000 and 25,000 civilians in the process , according to Amnesty International . Mr Al-assad has always denied having a leading role in the massacre . Pictured during regime : Rifaat al-Assad ( right ) is seen with his brother Hafez ( left ) and Syrian politician Abdel Halim Khaddam ( centre )
Rifaat al Assad is facing criminal probe over how he amassed huge fortune . Activists say it was stolen from France when he was at heart of its regime . Rifaat , 77 , is brother of late Hafez al Assad - France 's president for 29 years . He headed notorious internal security forces during 1982 Hama massacre . And was later exiled to Europe after attempting to seize power from brother .