A defiant Nicolas Sarkozy told a Paris court on Thursday that allegations of illegal Libyan financing of his successful 2007 presidential bid were a "conspiracy" and that not a single cent of Libyan cash would ever be found in his campaign.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy vigorously denounced a “plot” he said was staged by “liars and crooks” at a trial over the alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the Libyan government led by former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, on trial charged with accepting illegal campaign financing, told a court Thursday he had never accepted any money from the late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi.