Sarkozy denies fresh Bettencourt cash claims

The office of Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, vigorously denied new allegations in the summer of 2011 that he took undeclared campaign cash from the heiress to the L’Oreal cosmetics fortune ahead of his 2007 election.

The allegations were made in a book, published on the 1 September 2011, and centre on apparent claims from a member of Liliane Bettencourt’s staff that she saw the billionairess hand cash to Mr Sarkozy.

However, The Local.fr reported on the 1 September 2011 that the former nurse of L'Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt denied the claims made in a new book that she reported seeing Nicolas Sarkozy receive envelopes stuffed with money at the home of the billionaire.

France24, 31.8.11: Sarkozy’s office denies illegal donation claims http://www.france24.com/en/20110831-france-sarkozy-received-illegal-cash-loreal-heiress-scandal-%20bettencourt-book

ESO: Background information: Prosecutor calls for fresh Woerth probe http://www.europeansources.info/record/prosecutor-calls-for-fresh-woerth-probe/

ESO: Background information: Sarkozy faces cameras over funding claims / Sarkozy fights to regain political initiative http://www.europeansources.info/record/sarkozy-faces-cameras-over-funding-claims-sarkozy-fights-to-regain-political-initiative/

The Local.fr, 1.9.11: Bettencourt nurse denies Sarkozy took money http://www.thelocal.fr/1025/20110901/

Le Monde, 2.9.11: Bettencourt affair is again an affair of state (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief-cover/907411-bettencourt-affair-again-affair-state

BBC News, 2.9.11: Snooping row over Bettencourt case flares up in France http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14763892

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