Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing a criminal trial on charges that he illegally filled his coffers with $20 million in his failed 2012 campaign bid.
Sarkozy, 62, who served as the country’s leader from 2007 to 2012, has been dogged by accusations that his political party falsified business records to conceal his spending of campaign funds, the BBC reported Tuesday.
The former politician strongly denies the allegations, vowing to contest the order to stand trial, according to the network.
Sarkozy was accused of collaborating with a public relations firm to disguise the true expenditures of his Union for a Popular Movement party during the 2012 campaign.
The PR firm, Bygmalion, sent invoices to Sarkozy’s party instead of his campaign, enabling the UMP to spend nearly double the amount of money permitted under French campaign finance laws.
Investigators are trying to determine if Sarkozy knew about the alleged fraud.
Several Bygmalion and UMP officials have already fessed up to the scam and face charges.
Over a dozen more people are expected to face trial.
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