Carla Bruni, former First Lady of France and renowned supermodel, faces serious corruption charges, alleged to be part of a criminal scheme to protect her husband, former President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Bruni, 56, has been implicated in a conspiracy to "whitewash" Sarkozy, 69, accused of accepting illicit funds from deceased Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Judicial sources reveal she is charged with "witness tampering and fraud in an organized gang," crimes carrying severe penalties.
Details of the investigation, dubbed "Operation Save Sarko," suggest Bruni's involvement in a £4 million campaign to prevent Sarkozy from imprisonment. Under judicial supervision, she is banned from contacting anyone related to the case except her husband until her trial.
Bruni’s close associate, media fixer Mimi Marchand, is also under investigation for similar offenses, accused of bribing former arms dealer Ziad Takieddine to retract allegations of funneling Gaddafi's cash to Sarkozy.
The controversy roots back to claims that Gaddafi's funds were used for Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign. Despite Sarkozy’s attempts to dismiss the accusations, prosecutors argue Marchand facilitated Takieddine's retraction through financial incentives.
Bruni maintains her innocence, denying involvement and expressing frustration over the legal battles surrounding her husband. Sarkozy, with multiple convictions, faces additional charges related to the Gaddafi scandal, with a trial set for next year.
