Sarkozy charged with corruption over alleged Kadhafi financing: judicial source

PARIS: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was charged Wednesday with corruption for allegedly accepting millions of euros from late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi towards his 2007 election campaign, a judicial source told AFP.

The 63-year-old politician was charged with corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealment of Libyan public money after two days of questioning, the source added.

The charges are the most serious yet against the right-winger, who failed in his comeback bid last year.

He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

He was released from custody and returned home Wednesday after being questioned by anti-corruption investigators over claims he accepted millions from Kadhafi in cash-stuffed suitcases.

For the charges to be brought in France, the investigating magistrate must have "serious and corroborating evidence" that the crime took place.

Sarkozy is charged with "passive corruption" which is defined as "corruption initiated by the corrupted party".

He has argued that the fact he pushed for NATO to intervene militarily against Kadhafi's regime in 2011 -- an intervention that culminated with Kadhafi's ouster and killing -- shows he was not in the Libyan strongman's pocket.