The financial investigator leading the probe into Libya’s alleged funding of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign has described the case as an “Ali Baba’s cave of money laundering.” The remarks were made during a court hearing at the Paris Criminal Court on Monday, shedding new light on the decade-long investigation.
Frédéric Vidal, an investigator from France’s Central Office for Combating Corruption, Financial and Tax Crimes (OCLCIFF), detailed the extensive inquiry that spanned from April 2013 to October 2022. According to Vidal, the investigation involved 1,300 reports, 60 searches, and the analysis of over 500 confidential documents. Additionally, 180 hearings were conducted with individuals connected to the case.
The probe revealed large sums of money allegedly transferred from Libya to France through intermediaries, including businessman Ziad Takieddine. One significant discovery was €1.5 million allegedly originating from Tripoli, while large amounts of cash were also found in the home of Claude Guéant, the former Secretary-General of the Élysée Palace.
Vidal described scenes uncovered during the investigation as “highly unusual,” noting the discovery of a metal safe stuffed with stacks of cash, each bundle more than five centimetres thick. He likened the findings to an “Ali Baba’s cave of money laundering.”
The trial, which continues amidst other corruption investigations linked to Libya, includes inquiries into a controversial €2 billion Airbus deal and suspicious real estate assets connected to Sarkozy’s associates.
Nicolas Sarkozy faces charges including corruption, embezzlement of public funds, unlawful campaign financing, and criminal conspiracy. The court sessions are scheduled to continue until 10 April. On Wednesday, eleven out of twelve defendants are expected to appear, with Guéant absent due to health issues.
