This photo taken on October 9, 2007 shows one of 40 newly married Chinese couples from Tianjin posing with then Mayor of Tours Jean Germain (left) at the town hall of Tours, central France, during a group wedding ceremony. [Photo: Xinhua/ Song Lidong]

Jean Germain, a French senator and former mayor of Tours, was found dead Tuesday after failing to show up at the start of his corruption trial. He was accused of letting Taiwanese businesswoman, Lise Han, defraud the city in the so-called "Chinese weddings" scandal.

Germain presided over several fake Chinese wedding ceremonies that took place between 2007 and 2011. The weddings are believed to have been plotted by Han, who allegedly used her position at Tours city hall to earn illicit funds through fake Chinese ceremonies; she is also on trial.

Germain's body was found in a car near his home; police confirmed that he had taken his own life using a hunting rifle. In a note found in the politician's car, Germain claimed he had never defrauded the city for a single cent and was unaware of Han's "lies and manipulations." He also added that he believed his trial was "politically motivated."

News of Germain's death has shocked France's political establishment. His ex-colleagues held a moment of silence to honour his memory on Tuesday, while President Francois Hollande expressed his sadness, saying Germain had taken his own life "because he didn't want his honor sullied."