Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the 56-year-old former French first lady and supermodel, has been charged with corruption offenses. She is accused of being involved in a scheme to protect her husband, former President Nicolas Sarkozy, from allegations of accepting illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
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On July 9, after questioning by magistrates, Bruni-Sarkozy was charged with “witness tampering and fraud in an organized gang.” These serious offenses could result in up to 10 years in prison, or 20 years with aggravating circumstances.
Prosecutors allege that Bruni-Sarkozy participated in a €4 million campaign called “Operation Save Sarko,” aimed at keeping her husband, who is already a convicted criminal, out of jail.
She has been placed under judicial supervision and is prohibited from contacting anyone involved in the case except her husband.
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The case involves Mimi Marchand, a media fixer and friend of Bruni-Sarkozy, who is accused of paying former arms dealer Ziad Takieddine to retract his testimony about Sarkozy receiving Libyan funding. Takieddine had previously claimed he delivered suitcases of cash to Sarkozy’s team for his 2007 election campaign.
Bruni-Sarkozy has consistently denied any involvement in “Operation Save Sarko,” claiming she avoids her husband’s legal matters. However, investigators allege she deleted encrypted messages exchanged with Marchand before Marchand’s indictment in June 2021.
Nicolas Sarkozy faces multiple charges related to the Libyan funding scandal and is set to go on trial next year. He has already failed to overturn a previous conviction for illegal campaign financing during his 2012 re-election bid.
This case adds another layer of legal trouble to the Sarkozy family, with Bruni-Sarkozy now directly implicated in attempts to influence the ongoing investigations into her husband’s alleged misconduct.
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