Sarkozy’s former-supermodel spouse charged with witness tampering in Libya corruption case
Date
7/14/2024 5:33:28 AM
(MENAFN) Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the former supermodel and wife of ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has been formally charged with witness tampering and conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with a corruption case linked to Libya. Prosecutors allege that she played a significant role in attempting to conceal claims that her husband's 2007 presidential campaign was funded by the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi.
The charges were brought against Bruni-Sarkozy on Tuesday, and she has been prohibited from contacting anyone else involved in the case, with the exception of her husband, according to reports from France's AFP news agency.
This case originated in 2011 when Saif al-Islam, Gaddafi's son, claimed that his father had provided Sarkozy with approximately EUR50 million (around USD54.3 million) to finance his election campaign. In the following year, Franco-Lebanese arms dealer Ziad Takieddine alleged that he had personally transported EUR5 million from Tripoli to Paris in late 2006, prompting French police to initiate an investigation into Sarkozy in 2013.
However, in 2020, Takieddine retracted his accusations, leading to speculation that he may have been bribed or coerced. Investigators then turned their attention to Michele Marchand, a close associate of Sarkozy who traveled to Lebanon to meet with Takieddine in 2020. Marchand was arrested in 2021 and charged with witness tampering, with prosecutors alleging that she had paid the arms dealer to withdraw his statements.
Prosecutors suspect that Bruni-Sarkozy acted as a liaison between Marchand and her husband during the period in question. Furthermore, they claim that she deleted text messages to Marchand on the day of Marchand's arrest in 2021.
Bruni-Sarkozy has denied any wrongdoing and asserted her innocence regarding the alleged bribery scheme, with her legal team describing the charges as “unfounded.” The unfolding case raises serious questions about political financing and the integrity of public officials in France, particularly regarding international relations and influence.
MENAFN14072024000045015687ID1108436691
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.