Former French minister in custody over suspicious funds

ANKARA

Claude Gueant, a former interior minister of France during Nicolas Sarkozy’s term as president, has been taken into custody Friday for the unexplained presence of 500,000 euros ($544,000) on his bank account.

According to French TV station BFM, Gueant has been detained as part of a previous investigation regarding the potential financing of Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign by the now-deceased Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Gueant was Sarkozy’s right-hand man at the time.

Addressing accusations regarding his bank account, Gueant said the money had come from the sale of paintings, by 17th century artist Andries Van Eertvelt, to a lawyer. 

French authorities suspect the sale to be a cover-up for money laundering.

Following the 2012 claims that Sarkozy’s election campaign had been financed by Gaddafi, police found evidence documenting suspicious money transfers during a search of Gueant’s house.

It was discovered that Gueant had not reported 500,000 euros transferred from overseas.

Gueant served as Elysee chief of staff as well as interior minister during Sarkozy’s presidency.

The Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi was killed following an uprising in 2011.