Original version

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

Witness History

Podcasts

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

History as told by the people who were there

History as told by the people who were there.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

Witness History: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

Documentaries

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's Diamonds Scandal

10/08/2023 GMT

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

BBC World Service - Witness History, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

Journalist Claude Angeli broke the story that helped topple France's President in 1981

Journalist Claude Angeli discovered the French President received diamonds from the former Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic, which helped topple Giscard in 1981.

In 1979, French journalist Claude Angeli and his colleagues discovered Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the French President, received gifts of diamonds worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from the grisly and deposed former Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic. 

The scandal damaged Giscard d’Estaing’s reputation and contributed to him losing the French Presidential election in 1981. 

Ben Henderson speaks to Claude Angeli.

(Photo: Giscard d'Estaing and Bokassa in 1975. Credit: William Karel/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Witness History

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

About BBC World Service