She had an workplace on the inside ministry however didn’t possess one within the metropolis corridor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, the city the place her ex-husband was lengthy mayor and which had been given as her office on her part-time parliamentary assistant contract.
Mr Sarkozy’s entourage denied any wrongdoing, confirming the prevailing of the contract and telling RTL that it had lasted “9 months till March 2003”, permitting Cecilia to “maintain monitor of dossiers” within the constituency.
Her “skilled dedication to the lengthy political lifetime of Nicolas Sarkozy between 1988 and 2008 is a matter of public information,” the supply near Mr Sarkozy informed Le Monde.
“She was very concerned at Neuilly-sur-Seine and extra typically within the sixth constituency of the Hauts-de-Seine the place her husband was MP.”
The supply stated she was “so concerned that she hadn’t dominated out operating for elected workplace on this space”.
A lawyer for Joëlle Ceccaldi-Raynaud, who stood in for Mr Sarkozy as MP, stated there was “nothing criminally reprehensible in regards to the info” and “the absence of the truth of labor stays to be demonstrated”. Apart from, the contract was too outdated to launch authorized proceedings.
Ms Ceccaldi-Raynaud was final month charged with aggravated tax fraud over allegations she eliminated 120 gold bars from a Luxembourg account and €865,000 in money in 2008 with out informing tax authorities. She has denied wrongdoing, saying the cash was household inheritance.
The report got here as Mr Sarkozy faces a string of authorized woes.
A verdict is due on March 1 in his landmark corruption trial during which prosecutors have known as for a sentence of 4 years, two in jail, for attempting to bribe a decide with a plum retirement job in trade for inside info on an inquiry into his marketing campaign funds.
He has additionally been embroiled in investigations into unlawful marketing campaign financing and taking cash from former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
He denies all of the allegations.
The Canard Enchaîné has kind on unearthing pretend parliamentary jobs.
Its revelation that François Fillon, a long-time Sarkozy ally, had employed his British spouse Penelope as his parliamentary assistant with no actual work to justify her wage torpedoed his presidential bid.
The couple have been convicted in June for misusing public funds and handed jail sentences, which they’ve appealed.
When the scandal broke in 2017, Mr Fillon argued that using one’s partner or household was frequent inside parliament on the time.
Cecilia Sarkozy, a former mannequin, divorced Sarkozy in October 2007 shortly after he grew to become president and married promoting govt Richard Attias, her third husband.
She didn’t return calls from Le Canard.