Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy in court to answer questions over illegal donations

PARIS - Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has arrived at the courthouse to answer questions about suspicions he illegally accepted donations from France's richest woman to fund his 2007 election campaign.

A judge in Bordeaux on Thursday will decide whether the 57-year-old Conservative will be charged with taking advantage of the 90-year-old L'Oreal heiress, Liliane Bettencourt. Sarkozy has consistently denied all allegations.

Bettencourt's former accountant told police that she handed over €150,000 ($192,000) in cash she was told would be passed on to Sarkozy's campaign treasurer. In July, a magistrate ordered the seizure of Sarkozy's diaries.