A trial has opened of France’s former President Nicolas Sarkozy and 11 co-defendants over alleged illegal financing of his 2007 presidential campaign by the government of then-Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The former French president has faced several legal cases since leaving office, but accusations that he received money for his 2007 election from Libyan authorities have been particularly damaging.

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