Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is on trial in Paris accused of receiving millions of dollars from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to fund his 2007 election campaign. Prosecutors allege the money was laundered and part of a 'corruption pact' designed to improve relations with Libya.
French prosecutors today claimed to have irrefutable proof that former president Nicolas Sarkozy arranged a ‘corruption pact’ with the late Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi. It was worth around £42million to Sarkozy , 69, prosecutors claim while Gaddafi wanted to see his oil-rich country rehabilitated after it was blamed for terrorist atrocities including the Lockerbie Bombing.
Sarkozy, who faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty, was notably suntanned when he took his place in a Paris dock on Monday afternoon. He had just returned from a holiday in the Seychelles with his third wife, Carla Bruni, the 57-year-old former supermodel. She was not in court, despite facing charges of her own in connection with the case which she also denies. Prosecutors alleged that Sarkozy accepted the millions in laundered cash from Gaddafi to fund his successful election campaign in 2007. Jean-François Bohnert, head of France’s National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) said a 10 year investigation had led to Sarkozy appearing in the 32nd chamber of the Paris Criminal Court. ‘The corruption pact was designed to improve relations with Libya,’ said Mr Bohnert. French prosecutors today claimed to have irrefutable proof that former president Nicolas Sarkozy (pictured) arranged a ‘corruption pact’ with the late Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi Prosecutors alleged that Sarkozy accepted the millions in laundered cash from Gaddafi (pictured) to fund his successful election campaign in 2007 He insisted the prosecution ‘was not a political one’ and that Sarkozy ‘had not been found guilty in advance’. And, focusing on an element of the case, Mr Bohnert said: ‘We have in the legal file proof that a total sum of €6 million (£5million) left Libyan public funds and arrived in France through intermediaries.’ In turn, counsel for Mr Sarkozy, who was on trial with 12 other defendants, said all of them vehemently denied any wrongdoin
CORRUPTION FRANCE GADDFI LIBYA SARKOZY
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