Sarkozy accused in Bettencourt case
Nicolas Sarkozy was indicted on Thursday for "abuse of weakness" in the Bettencourt affair, a political scandal that was associated with the financing of the presidential campaign of 2007.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Sarkozy-accused...
"Nicolas Sarkozy who enjoys the presumption of innocence was notified of an indictment for " the abuse of weakness" committed in February 2007 to the detriment of Liliane Bettencourt," the old heiress of the French cosmetics goup L'Oréal, the public prosecutor in a statement.
This decision was taken by the investigating judge Jean-Michel Gentil after a confrontation with the members of staff of the 90 year old billionaire , including her former butler Patrick Bonnefoy. The judge accused the former president of taking advantage of the mental impairment of Mrs Bettencourt asking for money for the illegal financing of his campaign in 2007.
The former president, who risks, if convicted, three years in prison and a fine of 375,000 euros, has denied any wrongdoing.
His lawyer Thierry Herzog described the charges against Mr Sarkozy's decision "inconsistent in legal terms and unfair" and announced his intention to launch "an immediate appeal."
The case broke in the summer of 2010 when the former accountant for Bettencourt told the police she claimed to have seen 150,000 euros in cash by the old man of the Bettencourt, Patrice de Maistre, in early 2007.He assured her, according to the accountant ,that he gave the cash to Eric Woerth, then treasurer of the presidential campaign for Nicolas Sarkozy.
The investigation, which uncovered many abuses of the fortune of a billionaire, has uncovered several cash withdrawals and million sin Swiss accounts in 2007-2009.
These withdrawals, including two of 400,000 euros in 2007,which could have been used to finance the campaign of the former President in 2007, with the involvement of a third party already pursued in the case, the former manager of Bettancourt's wealth, Patrice de Maistre, who was a member of the First Circle, the wealthy donor club of the UMP.
Judge Gentil took the campaign accounts of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007 and agendas that demonstrate the existence of a visit to Bettencourt on 24 February 2007, when a suspicious withdrawal took place .
During his confrontation on Thursday with the former butler of the billionaire, he confirmed he had received Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007 at the office of André Bettencourt. Liliane Bettencourt's husband who died in late 2007, according tothe lawyer Mr. Bonnefoy.
Nicolas Sarkozy admits the existence of this visit but told the media that it was a simple courtesy visit. He stressed that the validation of his campaign accounts by the Constitutional Council proves they are free from blame.
The indictment of Mr. Sarkozy sounded like a "thunderclap" in French political life, especially in his political right, some of whom have characterised to the decision as having "political overtones", while the left power remained silent, two days after the resignation of the Minister of Budget, Jérôme Cahuzac, also weakened by an investigation into a Swiss bank account.
This decision was taken by the investigating judge Jean-Michel Gentil after a confrontation with the members of staff of the 90 year old billionaire , including her former butler Patrick Bonnefoy. The judge accused the former president of taking advantage of the mental impairment of Mrs Bettencourt asking for money for the illegal financing of his campaign in 2007.
The former president, who risks, if convicted, three years in prison and a fine of 375,000 euros, has denied any wrongdoing.
His lawyer Thierry Herzog described the charges against Mr Sarkozy's decision "inconsistent in legal terms and unfair" and announced his intention to launch "an immediate appeal."
The case broke in the summer of 2010 when the former accountant for Bettencourt told the police she claimed to have seen 150,000 euros in cash by the old man of the Bettencourt, Patrice de Maistre, in early 2007.He assured her, according to the accountant ,that he gave the cash to Eric Woerth, then treasurer of the presidential campaign for Nicolas Sarkozy.
The investigation, which uncovered many abuses of the fortune of a billionaire, has uncovered several cash withdrawals and million sin Swiss accounts in 2007-2009.
These withdrawals, including two of 400,000 euros in 2007,which could have been used to finance the campaign of the former President in 2007, with the involvement of a third party already pursued in the case, the former manager of Bettancourt's wealth, Patrice de Maistre, who was a member of the First Circle, the wealthy donor club of the UMP.
Judge Gentil took the campaign accounts of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007 and agendas that demonstrate the existence of a visit to Bettencourt on 24 February 2007, when a suspicious withdrawal took place .
During his confrontation on Thursday with the former butler of the billionaire, he confirmed he had received Nicolas Sarkozy in 2007 at the office of André Bettencourt. Liliane Bettencourt's husband who died in late 2007, according tothe lawyer Mr. Bonnefoy.
Nicolas Sarkozy admits the existence of this visit but told the media that it was a simple courtesy visit. He stressed that the validation of his campaign accounts by the Constitutional Council proves they are free from blame.
The indictment of Mr. Sarkozy sounded like a "thunderclap" in French political life, especially in his political right, some of whom have characterised to the decision as having "political overtones", while the left power remained silent, two days after the resignation of the Minister of Budget, Jérôme Cahuzac, also weakened by an investigation into a Swiss bank account.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Sarkozy-accused...