France’s former first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, has been charged over an election funding scandal dating back to 2007 involving cash from the then Libyan dictator, Col Muammar Gaddafi.
According to French media, Bruni-Sarkozy, 56, was charged with hiding evidence and associating with wrongdoers to commit fraud.
She was placed under judicial control and barred from being in contact with all those accused except her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy. Bruni-Sarkozy is also suspected of concealment of witness tampering and involvement in an attempt to bribe Lebanese judicial personnel, among other violations.
Her lawyers told AFP that Bruni-Sarkozy was determined to assert her rights and challenge the "unfounded decision”. Sarkozy, who was the president of France from 2007 to 2012. (Agencies)