PARIS, (Reuters) – Jerome Kerviel, the French former  trader blamed by Societe Generale for close to 5 billion euros  ($7.2 billion) in losses, was ordered to stand trial yesterday,  his lawyer Olivier Metzner told Reuters.

Kerviel, 32, has been under investigation since SocGen  unveiled in January 2008 staggering losses which it said were  caused by unauthorised deals carried out by Kerviel, then a  junior trader at the bank. Metzner, who took over Kerviel’s defence in March after the  ex-financier sacked most of his previous legal team, said  Kerviel had been charged with fraud and breach of trust, amongst  other things.

The formal decision by an examining magistrate to order  Kerviel to stand trial was widely expected after prosecutors had  recommended on June 25 a series of charges against him.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail  and 375,000 euros in fines.