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France’s Sarkozy detained over allegations of taking money from Libya’s Gaddafi
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| Contributor | IndyGeorgia |
| Last Edited | IndyGeorgia Mar 20, 2018 05:26pm |
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| Category | Investigation |
| Author | James McAuley |
| News Date | Tuesday, March 20, 2018 09:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | PARIS — Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was taken into police custody Tuesday over allegations he illegally accepted 50 million euros ($68.5 million) from the government of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi to finance his successful 2007 presidential campaign.
The detention of Sarkozy — France’s president between 2007 and 2012 — represented a major development in what is likely to become an explosive political scandal.
Sarkozy has repeatedly denied allegations that he took money from Gaddafi, slamming the accusations as “grotestque” and “crude manipulation .”
Although an investigation began in 2013, Tuesday marked the first time authorities have questioned Sarkozy on the matter. Under French law, authorities can hold a suspect in custody for up to 48 hours before deciding whether there are sufficient grounds to launch a formal investigation.
Brice Hortefeux, who served as France’s interior minister under Sarkozy, was also questioned by police Tuesday, although not taken into custody.
If the allegations are true, it would mean Sarkozy knowingly violated France’s campaign finance laws, which in 2007 capped campaign funding at 21 million euros ($28.8 million). In the presidential election that year, Sarkozy narrowly defeated Ségolène Royal, a Socialist, in the final round of the vote.
Investigators and journalists have long scrutinized potential connections between the former center-right president and Gaddafi. |
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