Return to sender

For instance, Yves Challier, one of the main people involved in one of the biggest political financial scandals which studded the Mitterand era (please read “La République Corrompue” (The Corrupted Republic) – Yves Chalier – Editions Robert Laffont – 1991) relates in his book that when he was the head of the departmental staff of the former Minister of Overseas Cooperation, Christian Nucci, (in charge of managing relationships and support to former French colonies) he once received a weird phone call: “A Friday morning, while I was at work at my office of rue Monsieur (street in which the Ministry of Overseas Cooperation is located), Christian Nucci, who was in the middle of his electoral campaign in his constituency, told me over the phone that I would be called during the day by a Mr. M. who had something to give me. The only advice was to make sure everything be done very discreetly. I was used to not asking questions over the phone and after reassurance I hung up. The conversation lasted one minute. The Minister did not tell me the subject of the meeting.

At 11:00 AM, a person called. He did not take care about possible taping and lengthily explained he was responsible for delivering an amount of 500 000 FF (US$ 100 000) to Christian Nucci to fund his electoral campaign. However, the funds coming from England had not been received yet. British banks and the City could handle it after the week end. On next Monday, this person was introduced in my office by the usher. He had a attaché-case and opened it without a word and gave wads of banknotes totalling 500 000 FF which I put in the safe. Then, he finally said that he was “happy to work for the success of the Socialist Party”. As planned, the parliamentary assistant of the Minister came by to take the wads and everything went to Christian Nucci’s constituency area”.