Claims money was sometimes hidden in drums
(NEWSER) - Former French president Jacques Chirac and his prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, have been accused of taking $20 million in illicit payments from African heads of state, allegations that both men deny. Lawyer Robert Bourgi, a onetime aide to the politicians, made the accusations in a radio station interview today, Reuters reports. Bourgi claims that between 1995 and 2005 he acted as a "bag carrier" and handed over the money, which was sometimes hidden in African drums and was paid out by the leaders of former French colonies like Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Congo. More»
