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| Mystery of the L'Oreal heir, 'Mr Nicolas' and the envelopes stuffed with euros | Mystery of the L'Oreal heir, 'Mr Nicolas' and the envelopes stuffed with euros |
| (12 days later) | |
| The vast mansion secluded by poplars on Paris's moneyed western outskirts in Neuilly looked from the outside like a genteel haven of the impossibly rich French upper classes. | The vast mansion secluded by poplars on Paris's moneyed western outskirts in Neuilly looked from the outside like a genteel haven of the impossibly rich French upper classes. |
| On the terrace of the €30m villa – dubbed the White House – the ageing lady of the house, "Madame", was often served an afternoon Perrier water from a silver tray after a swim in the indoor pool; the drawing room was decorated with Matisse paintings; the dogs ate only fresh fish; and an army of chambermaids, cooks, beauticians, hairdressers and butlers oiled the wheels of everyday life for France's wealthiest woman, the L'Oreal hairspray heir Liliane Bettencourt, as she sat surrounded by portraits of herself in the glory of her youth. | On the terrace of the €30m villa – dubbed the White House – the ageing lady of the house, "Madame", was often served an afternoon Perrier water from a silver tray after a swim in the indoor pool; the drawing room was decorated with Matisse paintings; the dogs ate only fresh fish; and an army of chambermaids, cooks, beauticians, hairdressers and butlers oiled the wheels of everyday life for France's wealthiest woman, the L'Oreal hairspray heir Liliane Bettencourt, as she sat surrounded by portraits of herself in the glory of her youth. |
| But when a family feud erupted between Bettencourt and her only daughter in the winter of 2007, a lid was lifted on the staggering realities of Bettencourt's life. | But when a family feud erupted between Bettencourt and her only daughter in the winter of 2007, a lid was lifted on the staggering realities of Bettencourt's life. |
| Now found to be suffering from dementia and the beginning of Alzheimer's, a confused and childlike Bettencourt was alleged to have been made to write cheques to hangers-on for eye-watering amounts for hangers-on. | Now found to be suffering from dementia and the beginning of Alzheimer's, a confused and childlike Bettencourt was alleged to have been made to write cheques to hangers-on for eye-watering amounts for hangers-on. |
| The first charge was made against François-Marie Banier, a dandy photographer, artist and one-time gay golden boy of 1970s society Paris. Bettencourt's daughter accused Banier of befriending her mother and taking advantage of her frailty to accept almost €1bn-worth of gifts, including paintings, life insurance policies and a salary from L'Oreal. | The first charge was made against François-Marie Banier, a dandy photographer, artist and one-time gay golden boy of 1970s society Paris. Bettencourt's daughter accused Banier of befriending her mother and taking advantage of her frailty to accept almost €1bn-worth of gifts, including paintings, life insurance policies and a salary from L'Oreal. |
| Shocked domestic staff whispered how the flamboyant Banier would pee in the Bettencourt's flowerbeds, lie on her bed with his shoes on, call her a bitch and tuck requests for money in her bra. | Shocked domestic staff whispered how the flamboyant Banier would pee in the Bettencourt's flowerbeds, lie on her bed with his shoes on, call her a bitch and tuck requests for money in her bra. |
| Banier denied the allegations, but it was just the start of a multi-layered legal inquiry that has become the nation's soap opera. | Banier denied the allegations, but it was just the start of a multi-layered legal inquiry that has become the nation's soap opera. |
| Tapes by Bettencourt's butler would later reveal that it was not just society fun-lovers who had benefited from Bettencourt's unwitting generosity, but also politicians, who were alleged to have paid visits to Bettencourt and her late husband, the senator Andre Bettencourt, sipped drinks in the "Monet room" and left with brown envelopes full of cash. | Tapes by Bettencourt's butler would later reveal that it was not just society fun-lovers who had benefited from Bettencourt's unwitting generosity, but also politicians, who were alleged to have paid visits to Bettencourt and her late husband, the senator Andre Bettencourt, sipped drinks in the "Monet room" and left with brown envelopes full of cash. |
| Of all the different facets of the ongoing Bettencourt investigation – including inquiries into tax evasion and abuse of a person in a vulnerable mental state – by far the most damning is the investigation into illegal campaign funding in the 2007 presidential election campaign that Nicolas Sarkozy won. | Of all the different facets of the ongoing Bettencourt investigation – including inquiries into tax evasion and abuse of a person in a vulnerable mental state – by far the most damning is the investigation into illegal campaign funding in the 2007 presidential election campaign that Nicolas Sarkozy won. |
| A judge in Bordeaux is investigating not only whether politicians in Sarkozy's rightwing UMP party took illegal donations from Bettencourt for his successful presidential campaign. The inquiry is also now trying to establish whether, during an intense election campaign of mega-rallies where he was dubbed one of the best orators France had ever seen, Sarkozy personally took time out to be chauffeur-driven to the Bettencourt mansion to collect envelopes of cash himself. | A judge in Bordeaux is investigating not only whether politicians in Sarkozy's rightwing UMP party took illegal donations from Bettencourt for his successful presidential campaign. The inquiry is also now trying to establish whether, during an intense election campaign of mega-rallies where he was dubbed one of the best orators France had ever seen, Sarkozy personally took time out to be chauffeur-driven to the Bettencourt mansion to collect envelopes of cash himself. |
| The campaign funding scandal began to take shape in 2010 when Bettencourt's former accountant Claire Thibout told investigators she had once been asked to prepare €150,000 (£120,000) in cash to be given to Sarkozy's campaign fund manager, Eric Woerth, for the 2007 election campaign. Thibout said she gave €50,000 in cash, well beyond the €4,600 legal limit on individual donations during a campaign period. | The campaign funding scandal began to take shape in 2010 when Bettencourt's former accountant Claire Thibout told investigators she had once been asked to prepare €150,000 (£120,000) in cash to be given to Sarkozy's campaign fund manager, Eric Woerth, for the 2007 election campaign. Thibout said she gave €50,000 in cash, well beyond the €4,600 legal limit on individual donations during a campaign period. |
| Thibout added that for years politicians would routinely visit Andre Bettencourt and be handed brown envelopes of cash. Woerth, whose wife Florence was employed on the team that privately managed Bettencourt's riches, later became Sarkozy's budget minister. Woerth was placed under judicial investigation for illicit party financing but continues to deny any wrongdoing. | Thibout added that for years politicians would routinely visit Andre Bettencourt and be handed brown envelopes of cash. Woerth, whose wife Florence was employed on the team that privately managed Bettencourt's riches, later became Sarkozy's budget minister. Woerth was placed under judicial investigation for illicit party financing but continues to deny any wrongdoing. |
| Then last year, an ex-judge on the case said a Bettencourt staff member had let slip after her official judicial witness interview that she had seen Sarkozy personally take cash at the Bettencourt's house in 2007. The witness denied it, saying she feared she would be the target of death threats. | Then last year, an ex-judge on the case said a Bettencourt staff member had let slip after her official judicial witness interview that she had seen Sarkozy personally take cash at the Bettencourt's house in 2007. The witness denied it, saying she feared she would be the target of death threats. |
| Then, this spring, court papers seen by Le Monde detailed witness statements by various domestic staff at the Bettencourt mansion hinting at discreet Sarkozy visits. Several diaries were said to have referred to visits by "Monsieur Nicolas", "Nicolas S", "Monsieur X". One late housekeeper had told a chauffeur of a visit by Sarkozy, then interior minister, to make a demand for funds in a 15-minute window before Mrs Bettencourt would sit down to dinner from antique porcelain plates at 8.15pm sharp. | Then, this spring, court papers seen by Le Monde detailed witness statements by various domestic staff at the Bettencourt mansion hinting at discreet Sarkozy visits. Several diaries were said to have referred to visits by "Monsieur Nicolas", "Nicolas S", "Monsieur X". One late housekeeper had told a chauffeur of a visit by Sarkozy, then interior minister, to make a demand for funds in a 15-minute window before Mrs Bettencourt would sit down to dinner from antique porcelain plates at 8.15pm sharp. |
| One "Mr Nicolas" visit was scrawled on the staff calendar in the kitchen, a staff-member assumed it was Bettencourt's grandson, also called Nicolas, but the butler, who would later hide a secret tape recorder in Bettencourt's drawing room to gather evidence, said it was Sarkozy. | One "Mr Nicolas" visit was scrawled on the staff calendar in the kitchen, a staff-member assumed it was Bettencourt's grandson, also called Nicolas, but the butler, who would later hide a secret tape recorder in Bettencourt's drawing room to gather evidence, said it was Sarkozy. |
| Others mentioned possible impromptu visits in the "Monet room" or another drawing room. Some of the references read like a Cleudo game: a former chambermaid who said she spotted Sarkozy arrive one day with his chauffeur while she was "in the linen room". | Others mentioned possible impromptu visits in the "Monet room" or another drawing room. Some of the references read like a Cleudo game: a former chambermaid who said she spotted Sarkozy arrive one day with his chauffeur while she was "in the linen room". |
| The judge in Bordeaux also pressed the photographer-writer Banier himself over a note in his diary stating that Bettencourt's financial director "told me that 'Sarkozy had asked for money again, I said yes'". Banier brushed it aside as just the jottings of a writer. | The judge in Bordeaux also pressed the photographer-writer Banier himself over a note in his diary stating that Bettencourt's financial director "told me that 'Sarkozy had asked for money again, I said yes'". Banier brushed it aside as just the jottings of a writer. |
| The spotlight appeared to be shone directly on Sarkozy in March, in the middle of the last presidential race, when French media reported the independent judge Jean-Michel Gentil had uncovered new evidence to suggest that Sarkozy's 2007 campaign might have received €800,000 in illegal funding from Bettencourt. | The spotlight appeared to be shone directly on Sarkozy in March, in the middle of the last presidential race, when French media reported the independent judge Jean-Michel Gentil had uncovered new evidence to suggest that Sarkozy's 2007 campaign might have received €800,000 in illegal funding from Bettencourt. |
| According to leaks to Le Monde and Le Journal du Dimanche, Gentil is investigating two €400,000 cash transfers from Swiss accounts in 2007, money that might have been handed over to Sarkozy's campaign treasurer, Woerth, or even directly to Sarkozy himself. | According to leaks to Le Monde and Le Journal du Dimanche, Gentil is investigating two €400,000 cash transfers from Swiss accounts in 2007, money that might have been handed over to Sarkozy's campaign treasurer, Woerth, or even directly to Sarkozy himself. |
| Mixed with this was French fury over the fact Bettencourt received a €30m tax rebate under Sarkozy's loosened tax rules for the rich once he was elected, and allegations the newly elected Sarkozy might have intervened to hush up the affair and lean on journalists investigating it. | Mixed with this was French fury over the fact Bettencourt received a €30m tax rebate under Sarkozy's loosened tax rules for the rich once he was elected, and allegations the newly elected Sarkozy might have intervened to hush up the affair and lean on journalists investigating it. |
| When Sarkozy's presidential judicial immunity expired on 16 June, his lawyers sent judges a copy of his diary for 2007 which they said proved that he could not have visited the Bettencourt house at the times it had been alleged. Sarkozy has flatly denied any wrongdoing in the case. | When Sarkozy's presidential judicial immunity expired on 16 June, his lawyers sent judges a copy of his diary for 2007 which they said proved that he could not have visited the Bettencourt house at the times it had been alleged. Sarkozy has flatly denied any wrongdoing in the case. |
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