Former French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy faces indictment for alleged Libyan funding of her husband's prez campaign – Firstpost

Singer and model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has been summoned for possible indictment as part of an investigation into alleged Libyan funding of her husband Nicolas Sarkozy's 2007 presidential campaign, a source told AFP on Saturday.

According to the source close to the case, the 56-year-old singer is suspected of concealing witness tampering and involvement in an attempted corruption of Lebanese judicial personnel, among other violations.

Sarkozy, 69, was charged in October 2023 with unlawful witness tampering as part of an investigation into whether he took money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to fund his 2007 election campaign.

Investigators suspect that several people close to Sarkozy were involved in paying a key witness in the case to retract a statement he made incriminating the former president.

Bruni-Sarkozy could be charged or benefit from assisted witness status, which, in the French legal system, is far from being formally charged.

The date of the interrogation was not specified.

She has already been questioned twice by investigators, first as a witness in June 2023, then as a suspect in early May.

An investigation has found that Bruni-Sarkozy deleted all messages exchanged with French “paparazzi queen” Michèle Marchand on the day she was accused of witness tampering in June 2021.

Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine has repeatedly claimed to have helped deliver up to five million euros ($5.3 million at current rates) in cash from Gaddafi to Sarkozy and his chief of staff. firm in 2006 and 2007.

But in 2020, Takieddine suddenly retracted his incriminating statement, raising suspicions that Sarkozy and his close allies may have paid the witness to change his mind.

Authorities became interested in Bruni-Sarkozy when Marchand justified his trips to Sarkozy's home as social visits with the singer.

Sarkozy is due to stand trial in 2025 on allegations that he conspired to extort money from the Libyan leader to illegally finance his successful 2007 bid for the French presidency.

The right-wing politician, who led France from 2007 to 2012, has faced a litany of legal problems since leaving office.