Retraction of Takieddine: in front of the judges, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy admits to having possessed a telephone at the heart of the investigation

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy initially contested having a phone at the heart of the investigation into Ziad Takieddine’s retraction of his accusations of Libyan financing of her husband Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign. But in front of the judges at the beginning of July, the artist “remembered” from the line, while ruling out any infraction.

On July 9, the wife of the former head of state (2007-2012) was indicted by two Parisian judges for concealment of witness tampering and criminal association with a view to fraud in the judgment in organized gang.

In this legal case opened in mid-2021, Nicolas Sarkozy was implicated in October 2023, suspected of having approved maneuvers to obtain at the end of 2020 a temporary about-face from Ziad Takieddine, the main prosecution witness in this resounding affair whose main part will be judged in early 2025.

In total, a dozen people are implicated to varying degrees.

At the heart of the investigations, a phone nicknamed « 43 97 ». The judges suspect that it was used by the Sarkozy couple to exchange discreetly with « Mimi » (Michèle) Marchand, former popess of the celebrity press and former friend of the model, also implicated.

In front of the police in May, the singer of “Someone told me” had denied holding this line or knowing of the alleged initiatives to exonerate her husband.

Cornered by questions from investigators about the inconsistencies in her version, the singer blurted out: “I’m trying to construct explanations”.

But on July 9, according to her statements to judges of which AFP has just become aware, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy ended up admitting having “used this phone on a side note sometimes. It was the police who told me, because I didn’t remember.”.

“This line is not an occult line as I read in the press”she had been “open for my children” who helped her, like the police, to refresh her memory, the 56-year-old artist also recalled.

She justified its use because her main line would have been blocked abroad, her usual telephone would have broken “while riding the ElliptiGO” (an elliptical bike) or because his messaging services have been hacked.

“Acerbic”

But if Carla Bruni-Sarkozy recognized the evidence of the possession of the « 43 97 »the model persisted in denying being the author and recipient of the SMS exchanged with Mimi Marchand which seem to be linked to this so-called operation “Save Sarko”.

“On October 18, 2020, you learned that Mimi Marchand is leaving for Lebanon” meet Ziad Takieddine, “on October 22 you ask him upon his arrival if everything is okay, and on November 1, you receive a long report message. Do you understand that we are wondering? »says one of the judges.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy then denies having read this last message, but the judge technically proves the opposite. “Whose act. I have no memory”continues the model.

“Is Nicolas Sarkozy the final destination? » of the report, we ask him. “I didn’t read it and I didn’t let anyone read it”further attests Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

“How do you explain” that this phone appears on dates “enough keys?” » in the alleged operation, the magistrates later questioned.

“For me, it’s an absolute coincidence”certifies the artist, a coincidence orchestrated according to her by Mimi Marchand, who « ment »Who “manipulates” and for whom she now nourishes “hostility” assumed: “Someone who went to prison, it’s never by chance”tackle Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.

Asked by AFP, his lawyers Paul Mallet and Benoît Martinez responded that this line had been opened “well before” the operation subject of this investigation and is “therefore unrelated to”.

“Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will provide evidence demonstrating that she used it to communicate occasionally with relatives, completely unrelated to the procedure”they added.

As this case nears its conclusion, former President Sarkozy, whose lawyer did not respond to AFP, is trying to obtain from the Paris Court of Appeal the nullification of his indictment and the disorientation of judicial information. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy “will exercise all avenues of appeal”his lawyers said.

Also questioned by AFP, Me Caroline Toby indicated that her client Mimi Marchand “read with astonishment the harsh statements made by Carla Bruni-Sarkozy towards him. She has always maintained that neither she nor her husband were directly or indirectly involved (in the) alleged acts. She doesn’t understand this trial of intent.”.