Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi, left, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, pose during a signing ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris in December 2007. (Patrick Hertzog/Associated Press)A panel of French judges placed former President Nicolas Sarkozy under formal investigation late Wednesday for allegedly accepting bribes and illegal campaign financing, and misappropriating Libyan public funds. The decision came after years of allegations that Sarkozy relied on a multimillion euro donation from the government of Moammar Gaddafi to finance his successful 2007 presidential run. French authorities opened a general investigation into the Libya case the following year, but Sarkozy was summoned by authorities for the first time only on Tuesday. Sarkozy is already slated to stand trial in another case concerning allegations of campaign finance abuse during his second unsuccessful presidential run in 2012.

Source: Washington Post March 21, 2018 22:05 UTC