France’s former president Nicolas Sarkozy is standing trial over allegations of having received millions of euros in illegal financing from Libya’s late leader Muammar Gaddafi for his successful 2007 presidential bid.
In arguably the largest of Mr Sarkozy’s several scandals, the 69-year-old is charged with passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, concealment of embezzlement of public funds and criminal association. Investigators allege he made a corrupt pact with the Libyan government. At issue is a murky affair alleged to involve Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist, arms dealers and allegations Gaddafi provided to the Sarkozy campaign with millions of euros shipped to Paris in suitcases.
