Nicolas Sarkozy, the former President of France, is currently facing trial in Paris on charges of accepting illicit funds from the late Libyan leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, to finance his 2007 presidential campaign. Prosecutors claim that Sarkozy agreed to assist Gaddafi in improving his image in the West in exchange for these financial contributions.

Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has consistently denied the allegations, asserting that the charges were politically motivated and intended to damage his reputation.

The investigation into these allegations began in 2013, two years after Saif al-Islam, the son of Gaddafi, publicly accused Sarkozy of receiving millions of euros from the Libyan regime for his election campaign. In 2014, Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who had long been involved in Middle Eastern affairs, claimed to possess written evidence that Sarkozy’s campaign had been heavily funded by the Libyan government, with payments continuing even after Sarkozy became president.

Sarkozy is not alone in facing trial; twelve other individuals are also accused of being involved in the alleged arrangement with Gaddafi, all of whom deny the charges.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the former first lady and Italian-born singer and model, was charged last year with concealing evidence related to the case and collaborating with others to commit fraud, which she denies.

Since his loss in the 2012 presidential election, Sarkozy has been the subject of multiple legal investigations. He is also appealing a conviction from February 2024, in which he was found guilty of overspending during his 2012 re-election campaign and covering it up through the use of a public relations firm. Sarkozy received a one-year sentence, with six months suspended.

In 2021, Sarkozy was convicted for attempting to bribe a judge in 2014, making him the first former French president to receive a custodial sentence. In December, an appeals court allowed him to serve his sentence at home with an electronic bracelet, rather than in prison.

Sarkozy was not wearing the electronic bracelet when he arrived at court on Monday, though it is expected he may wear it during the trial, which is set to last until April 10. If found guilty of the Libyan funding charges, he could face up to 10 years in prison.