French 'Queen of Paparazzi' is arrested over claim she paid Amal Clooney's uncle to drop allegations that ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy received Gaddafi cash
One of the most powerful figures in French medi, dubbed the 'Queen of Paparazzi', is under arrest over claims she paid Amal Clooney's uncle to withdraw his claim that ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy had received campaign funds from Colonel Gaddafi.
Mimi Marchand, a journalist from Paris Match magazine who runs the BestImage agency, was taken into custody for questioning in Nanterre, west of Paris.
Marchand, 74, was detained and had her home searched on the orders of magistrates investigating alleged corruption by Sarkozy.
Journalist Francois de Labarre was also taken into custody but was released without charge on Thursday evening.
Marchand, known widely as 'Mimi', works closely with a host of rich and powerful figures from the worlds of politics and entertainment, including President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte.
Marchand and de Labarre were instrumental in organising an interview in November with one of the main witnesses against Sarkozy, Ziad Takieddine, 70, in which he withdrew his allegations against the former head of state.
Sarkozy denies receiving funds from Gaddafi and said that 'the truth is finally out' after Takieddine, uncle to human rights lawyer Clooney, retracted his claim.
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