Sarkozy under investigation
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FORMER president Nicolas Sarkozy is being formally investigated over claims he “took advantage of a vulnerable person” – L’Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, France’s richest person – and
got her to give illegal donations to his 2007 election campaign.
The legal move is one step short of charging him and a significant hardening of the position of judge Jean-Michel Gentil, who had previously recognised Sarkozy as a “privileged witness”
after questioning last November.
Sarkozy, who left the Elysée 10 months ago, had been summoned for questioning at the Palais de Justice in Bordeaux where the investigation is based after being moved away from Paris.
He left late last night after having been questioned since mid-afternoon and confronted by several members of Mrs Bettencourt’s staff – who said he had met the multi-billionairess several
times and not just the once as he had testified to the judge in November.