PARIS — After years of investigation, France on Monday put the son of the president of Equatorial Guinea on trial for corruption, charged with spending many millions in state funds to fund an opulent lifestyle of fast cars, designer clothes, works of art, and high-end real estate.

But the defendant, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, in the first of several planned trials of foreign figures allegedly thriving on ill-gotten gains, was absent and his lawyers sought a postponement to better prepare their case.

It was not immediately clear if the court would grant the delay.

Obiang, who is also Equatorial Guinea’s second vice president, faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty of corruption, money laundering, and embezzlement.

Obiang’s lawyer, Emmanuel Marsigny, argued that he was not given a ‘‘reasonable delay’’ to prepare a defense for his client’s actions spanning 14 years and that the trial date notification was sent to a Paris address, though his client lives at the presidential palace in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea.

Marsigny told the court his client “is not a big-time bandit’’ and just wants his rights respected.

William Bourdon, a lawyer for Representing Transparency International, which helped bring the case, accused the defense of trying to paralyze the judicial system through a series of ‘‘opportunistic’’ and ‘‘malicious’’ maneuvers.

Obiang’s trial came after two nongovernmental organizations targeting corruption and an association of Congolese citizens living abroad launched a lawsuit in France nearly 10 years ago against leaders in nearly a half-dozen African countries, including the late Gabon president Omar Bongo.

The suit charged that the leaders used state funds during or after their tenures to buy properties and luxury goods in France.

According to court documents, Obiang allegedly used millions of dollars in public money — much of it in cash — to stay in luxury Parisian palaces and later purchased a mansion located on one of the French capital’s most sought-after avenues.

The defense said the acquisition serves as Equatorial Guinea’s embassy, and the International Court of Justice ruled that France must treat the Paris mansion as Equatorial Guinea’s diplomatic mission — but gave the green light for the trial, despite Obiang’s claims of diplomatic immunity.

Obiang allegedly bought up to 15 cars in France for $6 million and once splashed millions at an arts auction.

Associated Press