New witness claims France's richest woman made illegal payments to fund Sarkozy



Nicolas Sarkozy received illegal cash payments from France’s richest woman so as to fund his presidential campaign, a new witness said today.

A former driver of billionaire L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt made the claim to investigative news website Mediapart.

If proved, the claim would be disastrous for Mr Sarkozy who is already by far the most unpopular head of state in the history of the 5th Republic.

Scandal: L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt is alleged to have made illegal cash payments to fund the presidential campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy



Mr Sarkozy is currently being investigated by three judges as part of the on-going Bettencourt scandal, in which he and his political allies are meant to have received brown enveloped stuffed with cash in return for tax breaks.

Now Dominique Gautier, Mrs Bettencourt’s chauffer from 1994 until 2004, is said to have overheard her late housekeeper, Nicole Berger, talking about Mr Sarkozy ‘coming to ask Mrs Bettencourt for money’ before his election in 2007.

‘It was during the election campaign,’ said Mr Gautier. ‘During a telephone conversation Nicole Berger told me that Nicolas Sarkozy had come looking for money.’

Mr Gautier said he had not yet gone to the police because he was scared of the political implications of testifying against such a powerful man.

In July Claire Thibout, a former accountant of Mrs Bettencourt, claimed that at least 150,000 euros was handed over to the UMP, Mr Sarkozy’s political party, to assist with the election of key figures.

The limit for donations to political parties in France is 7,500 euros.

Unpopular: Nicolas Sarkozy has the lowest approval rating of any president in the history of the French Republic

Mr Sarkozy was a close friend and neighbour of Mrs Bettencourt in the upmarket Paris suburb of Neuilly, and frequently attended dinner parties to pick up envelopes stuffed with cash, said Mrs Thibout.

Mrs Thibout later withdrew some of her allegations, but only after complaining of harassment from lawyers.

Pascal Bonnefoy, Mrs Bettencourt’s former butler, has also produced some 41 hours of recorded telephone conversations indicating that Mrs Bettencourt provided cash payments in return for avoided millions of pounds in tax payments.

Mrs Berger worked as her housekeeper for more than 30 years before her death in September 2008.

The illegal funding case is currently in the hands of three judges in Nanterre.

Meanwhile, Mr Sarkozy has been accused of getting secret agents to spy on journalists involved in reporting the case.

In turn, the Elysee Palace is pressing charges against Mediapart for making the claims.

