Former French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has found herself at the center of a scandal involving election funding from the late Libyan dictator, Col Muammar Gaddafi. The 56-year-old has been charged with hiding evidence and associating with wrongdoers to commit fraud in connection to the 2007 scandal.
Bruni-Sarkozy, who is married to former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, has been placed under judicial control and is prohibited from contacting all those accused except her husband. She is also suspected of witness tampering and involvement in an attempt to bribe Lebanese judicial personnel.
Despite the charges, Bruni-Sarkozy’s lawyers have stated that she is determined to challenge the “unfounded decision” and assert her rights. Her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy, is set to go on trial next year over allegations of corruption, illegal campaign financing, and benefiting from embezzled public funds.
The investigation into the allegations began in 2013, after claims from Saif al-Islam, son of Gaddafi, and Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who alleged that Sarkozy’s campaign was financed by Tripoli. Takieddine later retracted his statement about handing over money, leading to suspicions of bribery.
Since losing his re-election bid in 2012, Sarkozy has faced multiple criminal investigations, including a suspended prison sentence for attempting to bribe a judge and a guilty verdict for illegally funding his 2012 re-election campaign. The couple, who married in 2008, has a daughter named Giulia.
The unfolding scandal involving Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and Nicolas Sarkozy continues to captivate the public’s attention as more details emerge about the alleged election funding scandal.
