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Dossier - Last modification: 28/08/10
The Bettencourt scandal - the L'Oréal heiress, the photographer and the president

What started as a family spat over what France's richest woman was doing with her money has turned into the political scandal of the year, if not the decade, with claims of confict of interest, illegal political donations, tax evasion ... President Nicolas Sarkozy and his ministers have been dragged in. Read our analysis and reports.

 
Analysis
07/07/2010 - France - Bettencourt affair analysis

Bettencourt scandal cranks up pressure on Sarkozy

Who would have guessed that a row between the mother and daughter of France’s richest family would end up toppling ministers and even threaten the career of the president himself?

08/07/2010 - France - background

Will the Bettencourt scandal help the far right?

President Nicolas Sarkozy’s allies claim that publicising the Bettencourt affair is aiding and abetting the extreme right. That’s a strange accusation to foreign ears.

08/07/2010 - France - Bettencourt affair background

French politics no stranger to scandals

The Bettencourt case is by no means the first scandal to rock French politics. In the early 20th century corruption cases led to governments falling.

16/07/2010 - France 24

The heiress, the butler, the minister: Who's who in the Bettencourt trial

It’s one of France’s most incendiary scandals, involving a cast of characters from across France’s elite business and political circles.

Reports
France
Celeb photograher Banier out of L'Oréal heiress's will
Alain-Dominique Perrin (L) President of the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, and French Labour Minister Eric Woerth
France
Woerth intervened in tax probe, says French daily
French lawyer Leborgne, who represents French Labour Minister Woerth, speaks to the media in Paris
France
Police question L'Oréal heiress aide again
France
Police swoop on L'Oréal heiress daughter's home
France
Police scrutinise Bettencourt documents, Woerth awaits interview
France
Fraud squad questions Liliane Bettencourt
France
Photographer and money manager detained in L'Oréal heiress case
France's President Sarkozy seen in this video grab from France2 Television
France
Sarkozy questioned on television over Bettencourt scandal
France
Government backs Woerth, despite party treasurer resignation
Earlier
12/07/2010 - France
Labour Minister welcomes L'Oréal case report
09/07/2010 - France - L'Oréal scandal
Nearly 400,000 euros withdrawn by heiress in run-up to Sarkozy's election, say reports
06/07/2010 - France
Sarkozy dismisses Bettencourt cash donations claims
01/07/2010 - France
Defence in L'Oréal heiress case demands adjournment
02/07/2010 - France
French minister denies giving scandal-hit billionaire tax refund
21/06/2010 - France
L'Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt defuses scandal after being caught plotting tax evasion
09/07/2010 - France
French press review 9 July 2010
29/06/2010 - France
France moves to cut spending, amid scandals over official perks
Radio reports
Eric Woerth hit by new allegations
04/08/2010 - Focus on France
Eric Woerth hit by new allegations
French police begin questioning Labour Minister
29/07/2010 - Focus on France
French police begin questioning Labour Minister
Bettencourt scandal rocks French government
10/07/2010 - Focus on France
Bettencourt scandal rocks French government
L'Oréal heiress case steals week's headlines
03/07/2010 - Focus on France
L'Oréal heiress case steals week's headlines
Judges postpone Bettencourt trial to examine secret tapes
02/07/2010 - Focus on France
Judges postpone Bettencourt trial to examine secret tapes
L'Oréal heiress case goes to court
01/07/2010 - Focus on France
L'Oréal heiress case goes to court
'Political soap opera' continues over minister's links to France's richest woman
29/06/2010 - Focus on France
'Political soap opera' continues over minister's links to France's richest woman
Minister's wife embroiled in L'Oréal tax scandal
22/06/2010 - Focus on France
Minister's wife embroiled in L'Oréal tax scandal
France 24 on the Bettencourt scandal
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