Paris trial: Sarkozy accuses opponents of orchestrating conspiracy

Former French President Sarkozy claims there is a 'plot' during his trial regarding alleged campaign financing from Libya.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy strongly condemned a “conspiracy” he claimed was orchestrated by “liars and crooks ” during a Paris trial on Thursday regarding the supposed illegal funding of his 2007 presidential campaign by the Libyan regime under former leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Sarkozy, 69, made his first remarks since the trial began on Monday, stating, "You will never find a single Libyan euro or cent in my campaign."

The ex-president, who held office from 2007 to 2012, faces charges including passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, concealment of embezzlement of public funds, and criminal association, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

The trial is set to continue until April 10, with a verdict anticipated afterward.

The case surfaced in March 2011 when a Libyan news outlet reported that the Gadhafi administration had funded Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign.

Sarkozy stated that claims from Libya about the alleged funding of his campaign emerged just hours after he declared, "Gadhafi must go."