French judges file charges against ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy in a case linked to Libya

abcnews.go.com:

French investigative judges have filed preliminary charges against former President Nicolas Sarkozy

PARIS — French investigative judges filed preliminary charges on Friday against former President Nicolas Sarkozy for his alleged involvement in an attempt to mislead magistrates in order to clear him in a case regarding the suspected illegal financing from Libya of his 2007 presidential campaign.

The preliminary charges accuse Sarkozy of «benefitting from corruptly influencing a witness” and “participating in a criminal association” in order “to mislead the magistrates in charge of the judicial investigation into suspicions of Libyan financing of his election campaign,” according to a statement from the financial prosecutors’ office.

Sarkozy has denied any involvement. His lawyers said in a statement Friday that the ex-president is „determined to assert his rights, establish the truth and defend his honor.”

Under French law, preliminary charges mean there is reason to suspect a crime has been committed, but it allows magistrates more time to investigate before deciding whether to send the case to trial.

French media report that Sarkozy is suspected of having given the go-ahead, or allowed several people to do so, regarding a fraudulent attempt to clear him in the so-called Libyan case.

Sarkozy and 12 others will go on trial in early 2025 on charges that his 2007 presidential campaign received millions in illegal financing from the government of late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Sarkozy has been under investigation in the Libya case since 2013. He is charged with illegal campaign financing, embezzling, passive corruption and related counts.

Investigators examined claims that Gadhafi’s government secretly gave Sarkozy 50