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France’s Sarkozy facing judges over 2012 campaign financing France: Sarkozy gets preliminary charges over campaign funds
(about 11 hours later)
PARIS — Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is being questioned by judges investigating the finances of his failed 2012 re-election campaign. PARIS — French magistrates handed former President Nicolas Sarkozy preliminary charges Tuesday for suspected illegal overspending on his failed 2012 re-election campaign, his latest legal trouble ahead of an expected new presidential bid next year.
Sarkozy, a conservative who is positioning to run again next year, appeared Tuesday before judges investigating the invoice system between his party, then called UMP, and a company named Bygmalion allegedly used to conceal unauthorized overspending. France had a ceiling on presidential campaign funding in 2012 of 22.5 million euros ($25 million). The conservative Sarkozy, who was president from 2007-2012 and lost that year’s election to Socialist Francois Hollande, is accused of spending 17 million euros ($19 million) over that limit.
France had a campaign finance ceiling in 2012 of 22.5 million euros ($25 million). Sarkozy is accused of overspending by 17 million euros ($19 million). Now France’s main opposition leader, Sarkozy was questioned Tuesday by judges investigating the invoice system his party and a company named Bygmalion allegedly used to conceal unauthorized overspending. His party was then called UMP but has since renamed itself the Republicans.
Several people close to Sarkozy, including his former top adviser, already face preliminary charges in the case, one of several linked to the former president, who lost to Francois Hollande in 2012. He has already been fined 364,000 euros ($407,000) for overspending in the case. The Paris prosecutor’s office said he was handed preliminary charges Tuesday of alleged illegal campaign finance, and could later face fraud charges. Preliminary charges mean magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but give them more time to investigate before deciding whether to send suspects to trial.
Several people close to Sarkozy, including his former top adviser, face preliminary charges in the case. The former president has already been fined 364,000 euros ($407,000) for overspending in the case.
It’s one of several legal cases in which his name has surfaced. Sarkozy had already been given preliminary charges in another case, accused of corruption and influence-peddling based on information gleaned from phone taps. He has not been convicted of wrongdoing or gone to trial.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.