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French prosecutors announced on Tuesday that they are seeking to indict former president Nicolas Sarkozy, his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and nine other individuals over alleged witness tampering linked to the long-running Libya campaign financing affair.
The move relates to the abrupt reversal of testimony by Ziad Takieddine, a central witness in the case accusing Sarkozy of receiving illegal funding from the late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi during his 2007 presidential campaign.
Before his death in late September, Takieddine had repeatedly claimed that he personally delivered up to five million euros in cash from the Libyan regime to Sarkozy and his then chief of staff in 2006 and 2007.
However, in 2020, Takieddine unexpectedly withdrew his accusations, triggering suspicions that he had been paid or pressured into changing his story — allegations that Sarkozy and his associates have consistently denied.
France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office said it was requesting Sarkozy’s indictment on charges of criminal conspiracy to commit fraud as part of an organised group, as well as concealing witness tampering.
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, a former model and singer, would face a single charge of criminal conspiracy to commit fraud as part of an organised gang.
An investigating magistrate will now determine whether the case should proceed to trial before a criminal court.
If found guilty, both Sarkozy and his wife could face sentences of up to 10 years in prison and fines of 150,000 euros each.
Sarkozy’s lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, declined to comment when contacted.
The former president, who led France from 2007 to 2012, was convicted in September of illegally seeking campaign funding from Kadhafi’s Libya.
He received a five-year prison sentence but was released after serving just 20 days at La Santé prison in Paris, following a judicial decision allowing him to remain free pending appeal.
Sarkozy has consistently denied all allegations. His appeal trial is due to begin in March.
Despite his mounting legal troubles since leaving office, the 70-year-old continues to wield considerable influence within France’s political right.
