Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has appeared in court in Paris, facing accusations of accepting millions of euros in illicit funds from the late Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, to support his 2007 presidential campaign.
The prosecution claims that in return for the funds, Sarkozy promised to assist Gaddafi in improving his international standing with Western nations.
Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, has consistently denied the charges, alleging that they are part of certain individuals’ efforts to undermine him.
The investigation began in 2013, following allegations made by Saif al-Islam, the son of Gaddafi, who accused Sarkozy of receiving millions in campaign financing from the Libyan regime. In 2014, Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who previously acted as an intermediary between France and the Middle East, claimed to possess written evidence that Sarkozy’s campaign had been generously funded by Tripoli, with payments continuing even after Sarkozy assumed the presidency.
Alongside Sarkozy, twelve other individuals—accused of orchestrating the arrangement with Gaddafi—are also standing trial. All the accused deny the charges.
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the former supermodel and singer, who is married to Sarkozy, was charged with concealing evidence related to the Gaddafi case and collaborating with wrongdoers to commit fraud. She has denied these allegations.
Since his unsuccessful bid for re-election in 2012, Sarkozy has faced several criminal investigations. In February 2024, he appealed a ruling that found him guilty of overspending on his 2012 campaign and attempting to cover it up by hiring a PR firm. He received a one-year sentence, with six months suspended.
In 2021, Sarkozy was convicted of attempting to bribe a judge in 2014, making him the first former French president to be sentenced to prison. However, in December, the Paris appeals court ruled that he could serve his sentence under house arrest with an electronic monitoring device.
Sarkozy was not wearing the monitoring device when he arrived at court on Monday, as the specifics of his sentence are still being determined. It is expected that he will be required to wear the device during the course of his three-month trial concerning the alleged Libya affair, which is scheduled to run until 10 April. If convicted, Sarkozy could face up to ten years in prison.
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