The French securities trader accused of carrying out the largest ever banking fraud, Jerome Kerviel, walked out of La Sante prison in central Paris on Tuesday after 37 days of preventive detention. ( dpa )
Earlier in the day, a Paris appeals court had ordered the 31-year- old Kerviel released and placed under judicial control.
This means he cannot leave the greater Paris area or visit any securities trading site, and that he must report to a police officer once a week.
Kerviel was placed in detention February 8 to prevent his tampering with witnesses and evidence in the investigation of his unauthorized transactions, which cost his employer, the bank Societe Generale, some 4.9 billion euros (7.8 billion dollars).
An investigation is under way to determine if Kerviel acted alone or with the help of other Societe Generale employees, or with the tacit approval of his superiors at the bank, as he has claimed.
At the conclusion of the investigation, Kerviel could be charged with forgery and breach of trust, and face up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to 750,000 euros.